SWOT Matrix of Dove

Strengths
Opportunities
1. New target segment
(Men)
2. Increasing Marketing
Communication
3. Ethnics requirement in
Malaysia (Halal & Non-
Halal)
4. Unified marketing
campaign
Threats
1. Increasing number of
new entrants (Korean
brands)
2. High Competitive
Industry
3. Competitors copy
Dove’s Business Model
4. Negative Public
Perception
Weaknesses
1. Strong brand 1. Heavy dependency on
recognition segment of female
2. Cost Effective (Real demand
Marketing, Cheaper) 2. Controversial
3. Access to resources marketing campaign
through Unilever 3. Less competitive price
4. Successful Marketing 4. Controversial target
Campaigns (Emotional segment with motto
touch)
5. Product R&D
SO Strategies WO Strategies
1. Increase promotion of 1. Provide more
products not only on diversified product
female focus- mix, appealing to more
promotion but also targeted segment (W1,
male (S1, S2, O1, O2) O2)
2. Offer new product 2. Promote company as
range (S3, S5, O3) an ethical firm (W2,
3. Focus more on real W4, O3)
marketing (S4, O3)
ST Strategies WT Strategies
1. Promotes products 1. Promote company as
more aggressively (S1, an ethical firm (W2,
S4, T1, T2) W3, T4)
2. Provide more
diversified product
mix, appealing to more
targeted segment (W1,
T1, T2)

Strengths

The greatest strength of Dove is that Dove’s established brand recognition. Dove’s ability to
differentiate itself from competitors is contributing to Dove’s brand recognition. Besides, Dove is
critically strong in its marketing campaigns, particularly through emotional touch, the most
influential marketing strategy on a person’s intent to buy. (Oetting 2017) To improve reality, Dove
abnegates celebrity endorsement, replacing it with real marketing where it is using real person.
(Flagg 2017) This is instrumental for Dove in achieving cost efficiency. Being a brand under Unilever,
this contributed to Dove’s access on Unilever’s resources, particularly R&D. Despite, Dove’s
continuous efforts of product R&D led to high variety of product range, making it competitive.

Weaknesses

Pertinent weaknesses of Dove are its heavy dependency on female demand, flaws on latest
marketing campaign, less competitive price and product testing on animals. Dove started with
female segment. Although Dove has lately entered male segment, but the income Dove is still
heavily dependent upon its share of the female market. This particularly due to an ingrained image
of Dove among public: Dove is a female brand. Dove’s vision could be another reason contributing to
this.

Lately, Dove has been accused with its marketing campaign which has been doubted with racist
content. (Slawson 2017) This has been a critical hit, denting Dove’s brand image.

Figure: Dove’s Ad which was critiqued for racism.

Source: http://www.businessinsider.my/doves-racist-ad-10-9-2017-10/?r=US&IR=T

Comparing to its competitors like Head&Shoulder, Pantene and Nivea, Dove is said to be less
competitive in its selling price.

Dove is targeting on female in Middle Class, particularly Upper-Middle. Reviewing Dove’s motto that
beauty should be for everyone and their vision to help all women, developing real beauty. (Our
Vision Dove n.d.) Dove’s targeted segment and motto could be said to be conflicting each other.

Opportunities

There has been an expanding demand of Male on personal care products. (Padmanabhan 2016)
Dove has clearly foreseen the potential of Men market and has entered male market, launching new
male products, Dove Men+Care. (How Dove Reinvented Its Brand For Men 2017)
Figure: Dove Men+Care, new product line of Dove

Source: https://www.fastcompany.com/1824772/how-dove-reinvented-its-brand-men

Continuous improvement of Dove on communication with consumers is another opportunity of

Dove because this would build stronger bond among Dove and consumers, creating brand loyalty
unconsciously. Despite, Dove is launching unified marketing campaign and advertisements globally.
This indicates that one advertisement is serving diverse markets globally. This is instrumental to
Dove particularly in brand recognition and cost saving. In Malaysia, Halal certification is another
standard that consumer good should compliance with, not only food and beverages. (Halal
Malaysian Portal 2017) This is seen to be an opportunity for Dove to launch new product range:
Halal and non-Halal.

Threats

The biggest threat to Dove is that it is in a high competitive industry. There are numerous of
incumbents, competing in all aspects: quality, brand image, selling price. New entrants, particularly
Korean and Thai’s body skincare and haircare brands has buffet the existing players of this industry,
no exclusion for Dove. This is happening mainly due to the highly competitive prices, aggressive
marketing and attracting packaging.

Figure: Example of Korean Body Skincare Soap

Source: https://www.qoo10.sg/item/KOREAN-BODY-EXFOLIATION-SOAP-WITH-FREE-KOREA-BODY-
TOWEL-SCRUB/409930878?__ar=Y

Figure: Example of Thailand Body Skincare Soap

Source: http://www.beautybuffetshop.com/en/

Latest critiques on Dove’s marketing campaign has buffet Dove’s brand image. This is undoubtedly a
big threat to Dove especially in today’s market where brand image is having incredible strong
influence on customers’ perception.

Reference:

1. Oetting, J. (2017) Emotional Advertising: How Brands Use Feelings To Get People To
Buy [online] available from <https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/emotions-in-advertising-
examples> [17 November 2017]
2. Flagg, J. (2017) What We Can Learn From Dove's Marketing Strategies | Mechtronics [online]
available from <http://www.mechtron.com/blog/what-we-can-learn-from-doves-marketing-
strategies/> [24 November 2017]
3. Our Vision (n.d.) available from <https://www.dove.com/us/en/stories/about-dove/our-
vision.html> [24 November 2017]
4. Padmanabhan, S. (2016) Men's Personal Care Market To Reach $166 Billion, Globally, By
2022-Allied Market Research [online] available from <https://www.prnewswire.com/news-
releases/mens-personal-care-market-to-reach-166-billion-globally-by-2022-allied-market-
research-597595471.html> [24 November 2017]
5. Halal Malaysian Portal (2017) available from
<http://www.halal.gov.my/v4/index.php?data=bW9kdWxlcy9jZXJ0aWZ5X2JvZHk7Ozs7&uta
ma=CB_PROC> [24 November 2017]