Dove (toiletries)

Dove is an American personal care brand owned by Unilever, a British consumer goods company.

The products are sold in more than 150 countries and are offered for women, men, babies and kids. Dove's logo is a silhouette profile of the brand's namesake bird. Vincent Lamberti was granted the original patents related to the manufacturing of Dove in the 1950s, while he worked for Lever Brothers.

Etymology
The name Dove originates from the soap factory De Duif (The Dove), located in Den Dolder, Netherlands. When De Duif was absorbed into Unilever, it gained ownership of the brand, which was later translated into English.

Product lines
Products include antiperspirants/deodorants, body washes, beauty bars, lotions/moisturizers, hair care, or facial care products. Dove is primarily made from synthetic surfactants, vegetable oils (such as palm kernel) and salts of animal fats (tallow). In some countries, Dove is derived from tallow, and for this reason it is not considered vegan, unlike vegetable oil based soaps.

In January 2010, Unilever launched a men's toiletries range that was branded as "Dove Men + Care". In November 2013, Steve Bell of Macon, Georgia, won the Dove Men+Care Hair "King of the Castle Home Upgrade" contest, receiving a home upgrade and consultation with Jonathan Scott of Property Brothers.

Dove Campaign for Real Beauty
In September 2004, Dove began its Campaign for Real Beauty, followed by the creation of the Dove Self-Esteem Project in 2006, by Geyner Andres Gaona and Amy. The campaign has been criticized as hypocritical in light of the highly sexualized images of women presented in the advertising of Axe, which, like Dove, is produced by Unilever.

Controversies
In October 2017, a three-second video for Dove body lotion posted on their page on Facebook in the United States prompted criticism and accusations of racism. The video clip showed a black woman removing her T-shirt to reveal a white woman, who then lifts her own T-shirt to reveal an Asian woman. The full thirty-second television advert version included seven women of different races and ages. Unilever has apologized for an advertisement, saying it should “never have happened” and pulled the advertisement.

The ad sparked criticism, leading Dove to remove the advert, saying it "deeply regret(ted) the offence it caused." Dove further stated that the "video was intended to convey that Dove body wash is for every woman and be a celebration of diversity". The black woman in the advert, Lola Ogunyemi, said the advert had been misinterpreted and defended Dove. Nicola Slawson: "Dove apologises for ad showing black woman turning into white one". The Guardian, 8 October 2017; Maggie Astor: "Dove Drops Ad After It Draws Criticism for Being Racist". The New York Times; Casey Quackenbush: "Dove Apologizes After Body Wash Ad Is Slammed For Being Racist". Time; Jeff Wicks: "Dove extends olive branch over 'racist' ad". The Times. 9 October 2017; Natasha Bach: "Dove Removes 'Racist' Ad That Seemed to Suggest Black Women Were Dirty". Fortune; Daniel Politi: "Dove Apologizes for Ad That Shows Black Woman Turning Into a White Woman". Slate. 8 October 2017; Whitney Kimball: "What Was Dove's Thought Process on This Racial Transformation Ad". Jezebel. 8 October 2017; Biba Kang: "Dove's apology for its Facebook advert is insulting to people of colour – 'sorry you're offended' really isn't enough". The Independent. 8 October 2017; "Dove faces PR disaster over ad that showed a black woman turning white". CNBC, 9 October 2017; Lola Ogunyemi: "I am the woman in the 'racist Dove ad'. I am not a victim". The Guardian, 8 October 2017.

Starting in 2023, Greenpeace have a campaign "Real beauty, real harm" highlighting that Dove is polluting communities in countries like India, Indonesia and the Philippines, with plastic waste.

Also in 2023, the UK Competition and Markets Authority announced that it would be scrutinising environmental claims made by the consumer goods group Unilever, which is known for brands including Cif, Dove, ... The move comes as part of the CMA’s wider investigation into greenwashing and follows concerns around how Unilever is marketing certain products, within some brands, to customers as environmentally friendly.

Research
In August 2023, a survey and research done by Kantar's Brand Inclusion Index conducted in UK showed that Dove was considered one of the Most Inclusive Brands for consumers among other skincare brands.