Dove is a cleansing bar and personal care brand (including hair care products) owned by Unilever. Dove is not a soap bar. Soap is saponified fat (fat mixed with caustic) and has a very high pH. Dove is a 'syndet bar', made from synthetic surfactants from natural oils or skin moisturizers. These synthetic surfactants are what give Dove unsurpassed mildness among cleansing bars. Dove is formulated to be pH neutral, with a pH that is usually between 6.5 and 7.5. Dove products are manufactured in Hammond, Indiana, USA; Germany; and Brazil. The Dove trademark and brand name is currently owned by Unilever. Dove's logo is a silhouette profile of a dove, the colour of which often varies. Dove's products include: antiperspirants/deodorants, body washes, beauty bars, lotions/moisturizers, hair care and facial care products. The bar forms of Dove are currently produced in the cool moisture, exfoliating, sensitive skin unscented, nutrium nourishing, white, pink, calming night, pro-age, and energy glow versions.
In 2006, Dove started the Dove Self-Esteem Fund. The stated goal of the fund is to be "an agent of change to educate and inspire girls on a wider definition of beauty and to make them feel more confident about themselves." To this end, Dove have created a number of largely online-only short films, including Daughters (which also aired in a 75-second spot during the Super Bowl XL), Evolution (which went on to win two Cannes Lions Grand Prix awards), Onslaught, and Amy.
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Criticism
From kottke.org: "Dove's parent company (Unilever) makes all sorts of products that may contribute to the problem that Dove is attacking here."[1]
History of Dove Soap
In 1955, Lever Brothers introduced Dove, which contained a patented, mild cleansing ingredient, into the soap category. It was positioned - then and now - as a "beauty bar" with one-fourth cleansing cream that moisturizes skin while washing as opposed to the drying effect of regular soap. Advertisements reinforced the message by showing the cream being poured into the beauty bar. In 1979, the phrase "cleansing cream" was replaced with "moisturizer cream". In 1979, a Pennsylvania dermatologist showed that Dove dried and irritated skin significantly less than ordinary soaps, based on which Unilever started aggressive marketing and won more than 24% of the market by 2003.
External links
- Official website
- Unilever, parent company of Dove products
- Dove's Self-Esteem Fund website
References
- ^ Kottke, Jason. "Remember Dove's Evolution video of a fashion model", CBS News, 2007-10-07. Retrieved on 2007-10-16.
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