Dove does micro-series with Alicia Keys

Much talk is going on about the new MTV micro-series "Fresh Takes" sponsored by Dove. The series airs during commercial breaks from the "reality" show "The Hills," and stars diva Alicia Keys as its main star.

In a Marketing blog in Gawker titled "Dove Abandons Real Women for Alicia Keys," it is discussed how Dove has moved on from their "Real Women" campaign on to...Alicia Keys? Dove is obviously juggling with marketing ideas and tactics, and actually this non-traditional method to promote the brand.

In MediaPost's Marketing Daily, author Karl Greenberg explores this campaign in the article "Unilever Launches Micro- Series for Fresh Takes Products."
This campaign is being used to promote its "Fresh Takes" products. This micro-series puts short, episodic narratives within advertising pods to reach twenty-somethings.

The campaign, by MindShare Entertainment and MTV, promotes Dove's Go Fresh line of body mists, moisturizers, body wash, shampoo and conditioners. "The company is positioning the products by emphasizing its fragrances, including grapefruit, lemongrass, green tea and fresh mint."

The featurettes are "Sex and the City" like scenarios, and the company says this new effort is actually an extension of the successful "Real Beauty" campaign that launched in 2004- which featured women who don't conform to the "thin and beautiful" standards. That campaign gained a lot of publicity and was an impressive use of integrated marketing communications efforts. Now this is supposedly being continued with the three comely stars of the micro-series.

Dove says the micro-series is intended to promote the new products while confronting the issues of the self-esteem "Inner Critic Syndrome" issues of twenty-something consumers.

The three-minute episodes will run over a five-week period, and are also accessible online and on mobile digital at dove.com, dovegofresh.com and dovefreshtakes.mtv.com after each air date. There is also behind-the-scenes footage of the cast.

This is a new, non-traditional way of reaching one of Dove's primary markets, the twenty something women. Having Dove sponsor this niche series, while continuing with the "Real Women" campaign shows their commitment to their efforts to appeal to all women, and confront the usual stereotypes of what is beautiful in our society.

Sometimes companies have to think out of the box, take a risk, and go with something different. Sponsoring a micro-series might not be the first thing one would come up with for a Dove campaign, but people are hearing about it! Even if they're not watching it- it is creating buzz and that is what's important. The message the company is trying to send while promoting its products is also an important one that women will appreciate and even admire. Maybe now they'll switch to Dove?