Dove Men+Care linked up with three everyday athletes – Chris Paul, Sean Williams and Alvin Suarez – for new ‘Big Names’ campaign which sets out to switch conversations from the elite to the everyday athletes whose stories deserve to be celebrated and thus more effectively reflect, represent and engage its target audience.
The work sets out to showcase untold stories of care by everyday athletes to inspire and encourage others.
Launched in late August to promote the new SPORTCARE line, the campaign shifts the focus away from famous professional athletes to focus on everyday men who enjoy being active in their spare time when they away from their families and communities.
ESPN anchor Kevin Negandhi, an ambassador who understands the importance of celebrating diverse perspectives, skills and ability in the world of sports, introduced the three partners fronting the new campaign: Paul (a San Diego, Marine Corps Veteran and father that bikes, hikes and runs), Williams (a Farmingville, NY-based volunteer firefighter and exercise fanatic that founded The Dad Gang – an organization that challenges the stereotypes of what it means to be a black father and Suarez (a NYC-based man that has overcome his visual impairment by playing Goalball – a sport for the visually-impaired that uses ear-hand coordination).
Let us be the first to introduce the new faces of Dove Men+Care SportCare
Stay tuned to meet the men behind the jerseys! #SponsoredBySportCare pic.twitter.com/9ja5ZLVfyW— Dove Men+Care (@DoveMenCare) August 26, 2019
Sports extraordinaire and Dad. Alvin Suarez excels in the visually impaired sports he loves. #SponsoredBySportCare Read more about his inspiring story here: https://t.co/j7gcXD81na pic.twitter.com/uyFwRY76mm
— Dove Men+Care (@DoveMenCare) October 7, 2019
Whether he’s lifting weights or his little ones, parenting and fitness go hand-in-hand for volunteer firefighter Sean Williams. #SponsoredBySportCare
See how he does it all here: https://t.co/j7gcXD81na pic.twitter.com/BmOH4sMdYY— Dove Men+Care (@DoveMenCare) October 3, 2019
Biking. Hiking. Running. Those are just a few of the ways Marine Vet Chris Paul connects with the people in his community. #SponsoredBySportCare
Read his full story here: https://t.co/j7gcXD81na pic.twitter.com/7jwgVhsDOT— Dove Men+Care (@DoveMenCare) September 20, 2019
The campaign promotes Dove Men+Care SPORTCARE: a new line of bodywash, shampoo and deodorant products for active men.
Through the ongoing brand partnership, the three athletes will feature as the faces of the new product range in campaign imagery across multiple channels and they will also be sharing their stories at marquee sports conferences where they will explain why it is so important for all athletes to be represented in the media and in marketing and particularly for products that are designed for active men.
The creative executions also encourage viewers to discover more about the campaign and the SPORTCARE range on the bespoke web hub www.dovemencare.com/sponsoredbysportcare.
The Unilever owned brand’s campaign was a response to a brief which emerged from a piece of straightforward brand research which found that 70% of men said they’d like to see more everyday athletes represented in the sports media.
“Dove Men+Care is committed to promoting a culture where men can confidently show care as a proud part of their masculinity, and many real athletes do that every day on the court, in the gym and at home with their families,” said Amy Stepanian, Marketing Director of Dove Men+Care for Unilever.
“When we created a product line for athletes, we wanted to address the needs of every man who defines himself as one, not just those who have been elevated up the ranks of their sport. We have signed on amazing athletes, who deserve the same level of praise and attention because of the way they show care, as any professional that might share their names. We saw this as an opportunity and moment to shift the perception of what it means to be an athlete.”
“I’m excited to partner with Dove Men+Care to focus on the stories of everyday athletes. While the majority of what we cover and discuss focuses on the few athletes who make it as pros, there are amazing stories to be told across the country, that often go uncovered, added Negandhi.
“The athletes of SPORTCARE prove that every athlete can inspire by showing extraordinary care,”
Comment:
The campaign is the opposite of so many sports marketing initiatives which so often work with high profile, professional athlete partners to promote and develop the products.
The initiative sees Dove continue to build around an inclusive, realistic marketing strategy focusing on everyday people: an approach it has championed for the last decade.
While the wider Dove business has focused heavily on building its brand around being inclusive and realistic and breaking down stereotypes.
The work also leverages the current self-care trend which encourages people to take time out for themselves and it also brings to life Dove Men+Care’s commitment to promote a culture where men can feel proud and masculine when they take care of themselves by using personal grooming products.
The current Sportcare campaign isn’t the first by Dove Men+Care to connect with an audience through and beyond professional sports.
In the UK in early September, 10 days ahead of the start of the Rugby World Cup 2019, Dove Men+Care rolled out a new global ambassador led video series focusing on the theme of parenthood and drawing parallels between professional rugby and parenthood offering insights into how the world’s best players balance pursuing excellence on the pitch with parenthood at home in a campaign called ‘Care For Every Position You Play’ (see case study).
While earlier this year Dove Men+Care ran a March Madness #RepTheRivalry campaign that tried to bring opposing fans together to support sports fans’ desire for positive sports experiences.
While as long ago as 2014, the brand launched the ‘Caring Coach’ campaign focused on youth coaches,
a few years later Dove brought in former NFL quarterback Carson Palmer for the ‘Real Strength’ campaign.
Links:
Dove Men+Care
https://www.dove.com/uk/men-care.html
https://www.youtube.com/user/dovemencareuk
https://www.facebook.com/dovemencaregb/
https://www.instagram.com/dove
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