Happy Valentines Day. Now that I got the positive out of the way, let's talk about what's going on/wrong in the world of Dove, the skin care/beauty company. First, they try to get in on the user-generated trend. This video was posted on YouTube and explains that if you've ever dreamed creating your own commercial, then you can do one for Dove! OMG REALLY!! No other incentives?! Sounds great...
Apparently a ton of other people felt the same way, and YouTube had to turn off the comments for the video, because of the backlash. Some people even posted their own responses, and Schmuly's video (found via Whistle Through Your Comb, a great blog by a planner/friend) is one of the best. Schmuly paints a pretty clear picture: Marketers read Wall Street Journal and think they know how to market to YouTubers, but they really have no idea what they're getting into and are going to keep failing over and over again.
So I thought Dove might lay low for awhile after that screw-up. I'm reading Advertising Age today and I find this article, and see that Dove is using naked grannies in its newest ad for Pro Age products...
Anybody else think Dove's taking the "be real/be yourself/everyone is beautiful" thing too far here? Watch the Dove Pro Age ad and let me know. Maybe I'm just off my rocker. Wait, I don't even own a rocker.