In fact they are calling it the ‘challenge of the decade’ and are putting all of their efforts into making sure that they build long lasting, enduring brands to create powerful brand distinction.
Unilever (for many many years) have been masters at this game and have codified how they create an enduring brand on a global brand like Dove into 3 simple tenets:
1. The first tenet is SIMPLICITY which provides a massively stable centre of gravity for the brand to operate from. They strip away all the layers to get to the absolute core of what their brands are about. For decades they have been telling us one simple thing: Dove = Real Beauty.
2. The second is building an EMOTIONAL CONNECTION, which is centred on building a resonant core belief system. This is about having a view of the world and how their brands can intersect with it to create stand our work, that works. For Dove it was distilling their core belief into a very simple statement: “to change beauty from a source of anxiety to a source of happiness for every woman”.
3. The third is a fastidious obsession with BRAND CONSISTENCY by setting clear boundaries and guard rails for where their brands can play. Building up core brand assets and platforms year after year after year. Just close your eyes and picture the Dove brand: the brand assets, the brand tone … it’s so crystal clear what they are trying to achieve.
And creating this powerful, enduring brand has allowed them to achieve a very simple goal with consumers : “First to mind. First to find”.
It’s also allowed them to make some absolutely remarkable work in the process.
