Dove did a series of YouTube ads for men, which can be found on the sidebar of the video linked above. Dove is marketing a line strictly for men. The colors and labeling are different, but the products are strikingly similar in makeup, with fragrance and packaging being the main differences. The series of short video clips points out poor habits men have with their skin care routine and then shows how Dove can correct them.
In the specific video linked above, it’s clear right away it’s a man’s product because of the gray background color and linear design used. The question that flashes across the screen asks, “are you torturing your face?” Instead of a more gentle question such as, “are you talking taking care of your face?” or “do you use gentle skincare products?” Dove uses a strong, masculine word [torture] to describe what’s happening to a face. Using such a strong word ensures that the man still feels masculine, after all he’s so macho he can ‘torture his face’ and it’s not even a big deal. The man Dove chooses to use as its guinea pig is a bigger guy and he seems kind of ambivalent about his skincare routine which makes him totally relatable. Then comes in Alan, the “male grooming expert” to teach Dove’s guinea pig about smart skincare. Instead of just saying “barber” or “stylist,” Dove goes a step further and makes sure there is no ambiguity: this man is a “male grooming expert.” All he does is study the art of male grooming. He does not deal with female grooming, so there is absolutely no fear that if you use Dove you will seem girly or feminine. And after a quick tutorial, the commercial ends with the inspiring quote, “end the face torture” as if these men are fighting for a cause.
Dove uses typical advertising tactics. They know their audience: manly men who are not feminine, not even feminine-adjacent. Dove has created a product just for them! Well, Dove at least created a new color scheme just for them. Because the media and popular culture has so instilled a sense of what it means to be a man or a woman, they have solidified these specific markets for companies to cater to, which Dove does well.
iamKLaw 