Comparison

So to finally conclude my analysis I want to draw your attention to the summary of my findings. Here comes the final comparison:

Dove is a globally operating company which has a global marketing strategy but adapts to local market needs. 

The names of the two soap bars are not the same in the two markets. In the US it is called White Beauty Bar and in India Cream Beauty Bathing Bar. In each of these markets the packaging looks alike and the focus in the advertising text is on the deep moisturizing and skin-friendly traits of the product. 

There are some differences in the spots which I want to highlight again with reference to the differences in US and Indian culture.

First, US customers wish direct and explicit information and demonstration as they are a low-context culture. In India, however, as it is a high-context culture, the information on the product should to a large part be received from the context of the advertising. Context then means the way the people shown in the ad interact and react to the product. 

These facts form part of the explanation why Dove has a hard-sell approach in the US and in India more elements of a soft-sell approach are used. Preferences for hard- or soft-sell approach also vary from culture to culture. 

Also, in the US we find a competitive advertising spot with the explicit mentioning of other brands’ names and comparison of the products (Dial, Ivory, and Johnson’s Baby Bar) whereas in India the products are also compared to other soap bars but these are only referred to as “ordinary soap”. 

In the Indian spots we always see pairs of women having fun testing the Dove soap bars and comparing the results whereas in the US there is only one woman demonstrating the skin-harshness of other soaps. This is also due to cultural factors as in the US persons portrayed alone in advertising are associated with uniqueness, success and self-reliance, whereas in India single persons in advertising would be associated with egoism, no friends or bad social relations. These two cultures place different value on the individual. In India the well-being of the group is very important (a collectivist culture) whereas US society is oriented towards the individual (individualist culture). 

One can also divide cultures in masculine or feminine cultures. The US is a masculine culture as they place great emphasis on achievement, success, dominance, competition and also assertiveness. Indian culture ranks just on the verge to being a masculine culture. This means that masculine traits also play a big role but that at the same time there is a preference for feminine traits such as emphasis on relationships, caring for others and quality of life. This combination is due to the long-standing values and traditions of Indian culture and the country’s situation today as developing to one of the leading industry states.  

In the US, Dove has already achieved great success with their social mission. This is their Corporate Social Responsibility Strategy. It is their goal to raise positive self-esteem in women and especially in teenage girls. In every advertisement we find elements of this mission. The message that beauty is about the way you feel and that women are more beautiful than they think if they are only self-confident is existent in almost every spot. The toolkit and self-esteem education are also parts of this mission. The latest elements of this marketing campaign were the Real Beauty Sketches which were followed by the Camera Shy campaign. 

In India, however, Dove does not have a clearly stated social mission. They broadcast the Real Beauty Sketches and also produced a Camera Shy campaign with Indian women but they do not offer toolkits or self-esteem education in this country. 

My explanations for this stage of development is that India is still a not fully developed country and that diseases and problems like anorexia are mainly a problem in fully developed countries. Furthermore, Dove has been present in the US market since 1957 and in India only since 1993. So there are more than 30 years of advantage in the US market. Plus, as the US market is highly advertized by thousands of companies, consumers are spoiled and have great demands. 

So selling products without proving to be a good citizen and doing good simply does not work anymore. The most important key to success is building emotional bonds between customers and your company and so create a love brand. In the end, it is not the product itself which persuades customers but the feelings associated with the brand. 




Thanks for taking your time to read my blog!