Dove Drops Age-Defying ‘Beauty Never Gets Old’ Campaign

Dove’s Campaign Tackles the Beauty Industry’s Youth Obsession

Dove, continuing its quest to bust stigmas, tackles the beauty industry’s youth obsession head-on with a campaign starring women of a certain age who have relied on a brand mainstay for decades. A woman named Vanessa, for instance, has been using Dove Body Bar since 1958. She appears in the commercial dressed in denim and low-top Converse, blissfully shredding on an electric guitar.

So the perception of Dove as “your grandma’s soap” may be technically correct—except, there’s no dust, doilies, or stodginess here. In fact, Nana flat-out rocks.

The new work, from longtime creative partner Edelman, purposely plays with numbers at a time when anti-aging skincare products are all the rage for adults and, controversially, for preteens.

Unilever’s Dove brand has teamed up with Obvious.ly for influencer collaborations. The campaign will also receive an aggressive push via broadcast television during airings of ABC reality blockbuster “The Bachelor” franchise and other programs.

Unilever’s Dove campaign will get an aggressive push via broadcast television during airings of ABC reality blockbusters like “The Golden Bachelor” and other programs, as part of a deal with influencer collaborator Obvious.ly. The campaign also includes social and digital media buys and out-of-home takeovers in high-traffic areas of Los Angeles and New York’s Times Square, managed by Mindshare.

A Bar Soap ‘Renaissance’ Amid Industry Focus on Novelty

The campaign launches as Dove Body Bar edges toward septuagenarian status itself—it’s now 67 years old—and the bar soap category is having a bit of a renaissance in an industry better known for what’s new and next. The segment—with brands like Olay, Pears, and Neutrogena—sits in the broader body care market, which reached $32 billion in 2023, per Mintel. Sales had dipped as consumers turned to shower gels and other liquid products.

But there has been an uptick in interest as part of a back-to-basics trend percolating on social media. Other reasons for the bar soap revival range from nostalgic appeal to inflation and sustainability. A growing number of influencers are citing bar soaps as the greenest option and the better buy, with generally lower price points and longer lifespans.

Dove’s campaign will get an aggressive push via broadcast television during airings of ABC reality blockbusters like “The Bachelor” franchise and other programs, as part of a deal with influencer collaborator Obvious.ly. The campaign also includes social and digital media buys and out-of-home takeovers in high-traffic areas of Los Angeles and New York’s Times Square, managed by Mindshare.

The bar soap category is experiencing a renaissance, and Dove’s Body Bar is at the forefront, celebrating its 67th anniversary. This resurgence comes as consumers embrace a back-to-basics trend on social media, influenced by factors such as nostalgia, inflation, and sustainability concerns. Influencers often recommend bar soaps as the most sustainable and cost-effective option, contributing to their growing popularity.

Dove’s campaign aims to create a generational connection and acknowledge the role older women have played in shaping the landscape of today. The target isn’t just women over 60 but also “a larger cohort of consumers.” As a soundtrack for the spot, the team chose a catchy Meghan Trainor dance-club hit called “Me Too,” often referred to as a self-confidence anthem. Shot recently in London, “Beauty Never Gets Old” comes from Emmy Award-winning director Reed Morano and production company Caviar.

Dove’s campaign will get an aggressive push via broadcast television during airings of ABC reality blockbusters like “The Bachelor” franchise and other programs. Deals with influencers come via collaborator Obvious.ly. The campaign also includes social and digital media buys and out-of-home takeovers in high-traffic areas of Los Angeles and New York’s Times Square, managed by Mindshare.

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