Dove Men+Care is kicking off its first ever “fatherhood” campaign to highlight things that really matter for men. The new effort dubbed “Real Moments” focuses on the joy of being a great father, not a great baseball player, big boss or a hunk. The new emotional campaign, targeting male consumers aged 25-54, is launching in the USA this week.
The new advertising push replaces the previous three-year campaign “Journey to Comfort,” which featured a series of life-stories told by sport celebrities. For the new effort, Unilever-owned brand has tapped Miami Heat star Dwyane Wade and ESPN college basketball analyst Jay Bilas, who are starring in light-hearted videos depicting perfect relationship between dads and kids. Recently, Mr. Wade has published his book titled “A Father First: How My Life Became Bigger Than Basketball,” highlighting his fatherhood philosophy. The four humorous and very warm videos are already available on the brand’s YouTube channel—there, Mr. Wade is showing his kids how to stay in shape and play defense, and Mr. Bilas explains a teenage son and daughter how to tie a bow and drive a car. Each of the spots ends with the “Care for what matters” phrase.
The new campaign has been created by several agencies. Los Angeles-based Davie Brown Entertainment developed the TV, digital and in-store video elements, while Ryan Partnership, Wilton, Conn., was responsible for other in-store and promotion work and Edelman, New York was set to handle PR. The “Real Moments” campaign will be rolling out across CBS and Turner TV networks and on CBSSports.com.
The new promotion is destroying ad stereotypes, which depict men either as people who are self-centered and not really capable of dealing with kids or household duties properly. “We hear from 73% of men that they’re falsely or inaccurately depicted in advertising,” commented Rob Candelino, VP-skin-care marketing at Unilever, to Ad Age. “We wanted something to show real men in real life.” Dove is not the only brand that celebrates dads’ involvement with the kids’ life—in mid-summer 2012, Pampers rolled out an initiative to celebrate responsible fatherhood.
Earlier this year, Dove Men+Care has also launched its first range of “shampoos designed to meet men’s specific needs.” The new range, which includes four variants 2-in-1 Shampoo + Conditioners, is fortifying a man’s hair, making it three times stronger.