Dove report free essay sample

An Introduction to Dove In 1957, Unilever introduced Dove into the market as a single product: a beauty soap bar. And it was not just ordinary soap, but touted as having more moisturizing qualities than the top brands at that time and therefore suitable for dry sensitive skin. And in the 1980s, the brand launched a new product line, which constitutes of liquid body wash, shampoo and conditioner, deodorant/anti-perspirants and body lotion—just to name a few. Today Dove is no stranger to the average Singaporean consumer. Its products are sold virtually in all supermarkets, personal care shops and mom-to-pop shops in Singapore, among many other places. Often sharing the shelves with other popular personal care brands such as Lux and Dettol, Dove is more geared towards the female market and the brand is easily recognized with its trademark logo, a soft silhouette of a golden dove. When it comes to advertising, the brand is famous for its thought-provoking campaigns and short films that focus on the self-esteem of women. A simple visit to Unilever Singapore’s website will tell you that Dove is â€Å"the world’s number 1 cleansing brand with double digit growth†, â€Å"outsells all other skin care bars combined† and â€Å"over 1 billion showers taken with Dove products in US each year. † Which makes one wonder: How many such showers are taken in Singapore yearly? The Target Customer Statistics in Singapore All information here is updated as of 2012, unless otherwise stated. Population Age Structure Below 20 years 885,200 20-64 years old 2,554,400 65 years Over 378,600 Sex Ratio There are 970 males in every 1000 females. Males 1,880,000 Females 1,938,200 Ethnic Groups Chinese 74. 1% Malay 13. 4% Indian 9. 2% Others 3. 3% Religions (aged 15 years older) Households Housing Most Singaporeans live in public housing apartments provided by HDB (House Development Board). These HDB flats are located in housing estates, which have their own set of amenities and facilities. 90. 1% of Singaporeans own a home. Number of Resident Households 1, 152, 000 Average Household Size 3. 53 persons Resident Households by Type of Dwelling A three-room flat has two bedrooms in about 70 m2 (750 sqft). A four-room flat has three bedrooms and space of about 90 m2 (970 sqft) of space. A five-room is about 110 m2 (1,200 sq ft). Some have an extra room that is used as a study, and others have a dining area. An executive apartment has three bedrooms and separate dining and living rooms, with 150 m2 (1,600 sq ft) of space. Total living in HDB flats 81. 6% 1- 2-Room 4. 7% 3-Room 18. 6% 4-Room 32. 6% 5-Room Executive Flats 25. 5% Condominiums Other Apartments 12. 1% Landed Properties 6. 0% Education Highest qualification attained of resident non-student population, by age group and sex Employment (as of March 2013) Total Employed 3,386,500 Total Unemployed 1,900 Monthly Income Median Household Income Per Person $2127 Median Resident Household Income $7,566 Culture, attitudes and beliefs Singapore is a very diverse and young country. It has many languages, religions, and cultures for a country its size. Due to the many languages and cultures in the country, there is no single set of culturally acceptable behaviours. Each Singaporeans set of behaviour and attitudes is influenced by, among many other things, his or her home language and his religion. Singaporeans who speak English as their native language tend to lean toward Western culture. Singapore, as a country, in general is conservative socially, but some liberalization has occurred. Racial and religious harmony is regarded by the government as a crucial part of Singapores success and played a part in building a Singaporean identity. Buying behavior Singaporeans love to shop, which might explain the large number of shopping places here in this small country. When it comes to buying behavior, Singaporeans are known to own several distinctive traits, which includes being particular for price (loves to bargain) and kiasu-ism. Kiasu-ism is a Hokkien word, literally translated as â€Å"fear of losing†. There is a mild sense of paranoia involved, of fear of not getting the desired item, and placing the self first before others. Such behavior is characterized by barging into places like lifts or escalators, and the willingness to queue in advance, or for long periods of time for said item. Lifestyle and hobbies Dining, along with shopping, is also another popular hobby in Singapore. Food is one of the points of interests in tourism. Due to the many ethnicities here, there is a wide diversity of food which symbolizes a melting pot of cultures. In Singapore, eating is a culture itself. Popular sports in Singapore include soccer, basketball, cricket, swimming, sailing, table tennis and badminton. Dove’s Target Market Dove’s market is targeted more towards female teenagers and adult women, which falls within this range as highlighted below. The heavy half will be towards female shoppers, aged 15 to 44. Estimated no. of people aged 15-44: 834, 400 In an 2007 article by Brand Republic, â€Å"UKs leading online destination for people working in the advertising, marketing, media and communications industries†, Dove was â€Å"departing from phase ones focus on adult women,† and â€Å"phase two hones in on teenagers†, in a follow-up to its ‘Campaign for Real Beauty’, which was launching in Singapore at that time. [1] In 2007 students from Temasek Polytechnic, one of the five polytechnics in Singapore, did a study called ‘Insights on Brands: Perception and Purchase Behaviour of Singaporean Youths’. They did a survey on youths aged 15 to 27 years old. The study revealed that the buying patterns of our youths tend to lean towards cognitive traits, rather than emotive. It states that â€Å"while youths like to try new and different things, as well as tend to follow latest trend and technology, they are more rational in their purchase behaviour than generally perceived. † The study also showed that 81. 9% of Singaporean youths spent $500 and below per month. Drawn to hi-tech and latest trends 86. 5% said they will try new and different things 76. 5% said they tend to follow latest trend and technology Quality conscious 85. 9% Study options before purchase 86. 2% Brand is not the most important consideration only 53. 4% agree that brand is most important [2] Factors that influence a youth’s buying behavior are more towards social and psychological. They are easily influenced by their peers, and tend to buy brands that can reflect their personality. For example, a teenager who frequently hangs out with a group that frequently shops at Topshop and Zara will soon follow suit. And a male teenager who is involved in a rock band will prefer to buy related accessories or make-up e. g eyeliner. And how about the buying patterns of adult women in Singapore? Women obviously have different shopping traits than men, preferring to wander around in shops, compared to men who are more straight-forward in their purchases. A shopping experience is also more important to a woman. Asian women now are more educated, have high-paying jobs and bigger purchasing power, all at a younger age. In an article called â€Å"Marketing to the modern Asian woman: Trends to watch† by Vic Corsi, the Executive Manager of Landor in Singapore, it states that Asian consumers are â€Å"increasingly cynical about traditional advertising and research their purchases thoroughly. † An Asian woman’s shopping behavior is also different from her Western counterparts. Shopping is seen as a social activity where it is not necessary to make a purchase. Asian women also spend more time shopping online, and more open to using new digital innovations, compared to Western women. â€Å"And on top of everything else,† says Corsi, â€Å"Asian women are putting more effort into their beauty routine thanWestern women. † [3] He notes that although Asian women are among the most educated in the world, beauty still holds high importance and on par with success, such as having a good job and education. And since women run the household, they do not only buy beauty or fashion products, but also more towards consumer electronics, banking items and travel. Product Strategy Countries that manufacture Dove products Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Germany, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Mexico, Netherlands, Pakistan, Philippines, Thailand, Turkey and United States. Today, Dove’s products have reached sales of up to â‚ ¬2. 5 billion a year in 80 countries. [5] Dove’s Product Mix in Singapore Dove sells a range for men too, called Dove Men+Care, but is only available in the US. Their product line is similar to their female counterpart, except for the addition of shaving products. Travel Kits Part of Dove’s packaging also includes mini-sized products for those travelling, called Dove Travel Minis. Their kit consists of deodorant (35ml), body wash (55ml), moisturizing cream (30ml), and a set of shampoo and conditioner (50ml), all inside a handy, luggage-friendly wash bag. Body Wash: Dove Vs Lux For this report, I will be focussing on two products from brands Dove and Lux for analysis and comparison. Lux is a strong competitor of Dove when it comes to their body washes, with their products being sold in more than 100 countries. Below is a body wash comparison between Dove Beauty Nourishing Body Wash and Lux Velvet Touch Shower Cream. Brand Core Benefits Actual Benefits Augmented Benefits Dove Wash body ? Contains ? moisturizing milk with Nitrium (a new moisturizing technology) ? has a characteristic pleasant scent that lingers ? Packaging comes in a droplet shaped bottle ? Dermatologist recommended Social networking sites e. g Facebook and Twitter are used to connect with customers. Lux Wash body ? Enriched with exclusive Silk Protein Extract, a moisturizing ingredient ? forms a light creamy layer on skin, leaving it feeling soft, smooth and moisturised ? Dermatologist recommended ? Packaging comes in a slender bottle with slim contours. Has contests on their website Pricing Strategy Dove’s prices are slightly more expensive than their competitors, but maintain the market price. Below is a list of the prices for each Dove product in every category. I will be comparing the prices in two supermarkets—NTUC Fairprice and Cold Storage. Dove Bestsellers Price List in NTUC Fairprice VS Cold Storage DOVE BODY WASH BEAUTY NOURISHING 1L DOVE ANTI PERSPIRANT DEODORANT ROLL ON WHITENING-ORIGINAL 40 ML DOVE BAR SOAP WHITE BEAUTY BAR (3PCS) 100G DOVE DAMAGE THERAPY SHAMPOO INTENSE REPAIR 700ML Fairprice $10. 95 $3. 40 $3. 35 $11. 70 Cold Storage $10. 95 $4. 15 $3. 60 $11. 70 Here is a list of prices for Dove versus other competitors in the body wash category. DOVE BODY WASH BEAUTY NOURISHING 1L DETTOL SHOWER GEL – ORIGINAL 950ML LUX SHOWER CREAM – VELVET TOUCH 700ML SHOKUBUTSU ANTI-BACTERIA BODY FOAM – BRIGHT 950ML Fairprice $10. 95 $10. 50 $6. 95 $9. 20 Cold Storage $10. 95 $10. 90 $6. 90 $9. 50 Promotion Strategy Media Advertising Dove participates and invests in a lot of media advertising. Dove’s advertising tends to focus on women’s self-esteem. Their short films and commercials are award-winning and have reached millions of viewers. When it comes to advertising, Dove is synonymous with its campaign which is not new to controversy. Launched in September 2004, The Dove ® Campaign for Real Beauty used ordinary women to portray a realistic sense of beauty, which is made up of several phases. Dove alsodoes internet advertising, and has a Facebook page to reach out to its Singaporean customers,where it promotes discussion between fans such as the one below. Although the campaign and short films did not seem to actually promote their products, it was their way of reaching towards new customers by identifying with them. Dove’s short films have won several awards and praise, including two Cannes Lions Grand Prix awards forEvolution, and their latest short film Real Beauty Sketches has garnered more than 55 million views on Youtube. In Singapore, besides TV commercials, their advertisements can also be seen on bus stands and public transport. In 2012, ClearChannel, a media agency, placed Dove posters at bus stands to advertise Dove’s latest hair care series- Dove Hair Fall Rescue Treatment. These posters had a QR code on them, and scanning the codes would result in a chance to win a â€Å"FREE intensive hair tonic starter kit†. Besides ClearChannel, Dove also uses TV, online, print and in-store advertising for the new products. Sales Promotion Dove seldom does large-scale sales on its items, and only does small promotions in supermarkets, for example, for a short period of time. Their products are sometimes packed in a bundle or piggy-backed with others. Point of sales materials include wobblers and display stands. Activities In 2006, Dove established the Dove ® Self-Esteem Fund, in order to educate women on the perception of beauty. According to Unilever US’s website, it hopes to â€Å"act as an agent of change to inspire and educate girls and womenabout a wider definition of beauty. † [5] And in 2007, in conjunction with its campaign in Singapore, Dove had collaborated with local secondary schools and Sngapore General Hospital to organize a series of workshops on eating disorders. Alongside with the campaign, Dove also commissioned a study about the perception of beauty, called â€Å"The Real Truth About Beauty: A Global Report†. The report reveals that most women did not identify themselves as beautiful. Distribution Dove’s products are sold in a majority of shops in Singapore that offer personal care products. These include supermarkets, hypermarkets, drugstores, provision shops and personal care shops. They are also available online in some supermarkets that offer such services. They do not have a specialized outlet or store that sells Dove-only products. Major supermarkets in Singapore include NTUC Fairprice Co Ltd, Sheng Siong, Cold Storage Supermarket, with Fairprice being the leading retailer. Customers that frequent their places of distribution include all ages. List of places selling Dove products Supermarkets/Hypermarkets 1. NTUC Fairprice supermarket 2. Cold Storage supermarket 3. Giant hypermarket 4. Sheng Siong supermarket Personal Care Stores/ Pharmacies 5. Guardian 6. Watsons 7. Venus 8. Pink beauty 9. Beaute Spring Others 10. Provision Shops 11. Value Store 12. Mustafa Centre 13. G-Stores Online Supermarkets 14. NTUC Fairprice 15. Cold Storage Parallel Import In Singapore, some of Dove’s products are sold in certain shops are noticeably lower-priced compared to in supermarkets, thanks to parallel importing of these goods. For example a supermarket may sell Dove’s Moisturizing Body Wash at S$10. 95, but a store that does parallel importing may sell it at S$6. 50 instead. Parallel import is not entirely illegal in Singapore, with rules for different categories. Based on an internet article called â€Å"Parallel import permitted on patented products†, it states that the reason behind Singapore’s policies to allow parallel importing products is â€Å"based on the principle that such products are genuine† and that â€Å"the public should benefit from competition and the lower prices resulting from the availability of parallel imports. † [6] Dove products are mostly parallel-imported from countries like Thailand and Vietnam. Stores that do parallel-imported Dove products in Singapore include Venus, Pink Beauty, Beaute Spring and Value Stores. References Articles 1. â€Å"Dove to Target Teenagers†, BrandRepublic, 26 Jan 2007 (http://www. brandrepublic. com/news/633851/) 2. â€Å"Insights on Brands: Perception and Purchase Behaviour of Singaporean Youths†, Temasek Polytechnic, Temasek Business School, Diploma in Marketing, 10 Dec 2007 3. Vic Corsi, Executive Director Singapore, Landor, â€Å"Marketing to the modern Asian woman: Trends to watch† 4. † Unilever reveals Dove Hair Secret through Clear Channel Singapore†, ClearChannel, 16 July 2012 (http://www. clearchannel. com. sg/resource-centre/press-centre/press-centre-20112012/unilever-reveals-dove-hair-secret-through-clear-channel-singapore http://www. dove. us/) 5. â€Å"The Dove Campaign for Real Beauty†, Unilever US 6. â€Å"Parallel import permitted on patented products†, Miranda, 20 Dec 2008 (http://www. mirandah. com/categories/item/82-parallel-imports-permitted-on-patented-products-in-singapore. html)