NEWS: Brands Moving to Social Networks

Can Dove Promote a Cause and Sell Soap?

BY SUZANNE VRANICA Word Count: 864  |  Companies Featured in This Article: Unilever, General Electric, Procter & Gamble, Anheuser-Busch, Microsoft

Women turn to all sorts of places for advice and stimulating conversation, from "The Oprah Winfrey Show" to their next-door neighbors. But are they ready to take their life cues from a soap company?

Dove is betting several million dollars that the answer is yes. The hair- and skin-products maker owned by Unilever is trying to create a new online community for women that offers entertainment, blogs, advice and advertising.

In 2004, Dove made headlines when it took a stand against the convention among beauty companies of relying on over-the-top-beautiful and thin models in their advertising. Instead, Dove decided to ...

Duo to Launch Agency With a Twist

BY EMILY STEEL Word Count: 1,129  |  Companies Featured in This Article: Microsoft, Omnicom Group
Digital advertising veterans P.J. Pereira and Andrew O'Dell caused a stir in the industry earlier this year when they left their senior posts at AKQA, then and still one of the hotter interactive ad agencies. Wednesday, they will announce plans to launch a new full-service agency.

Messrs. Pereira, 34 years old, and O'Dell, 38, say the problem with most existing ad agencies is that they either have a traditional focus or a digital orientation -- and either way, marketers aren't as well-served as they could be. Digital shops, because of their Internet worldview, tend to build Web sites and online ...

Managing Dove's Public Forums Inge Selawry ( OgilvyOne worldwide - Copenhagen )  Dove's global "Campaign for Real Beauty" set out to raise consciousness of the issues surrounding beauty and to challenge long-held stereotypes. campaignforrealbeauty.com sought to provoke debate by allowing consumers to choose between two possible verdicts, one in tune with current stereotypes, the other challenging them.

"I just wanted to tell you how much I admire you for making your scar a proud part of yourself, and not needing to have it removed. "I have a birthmark on my shoulder - it's huge - and for the longest time I wanted it removed. I tried and it didn't work. But now when I look at it, I've realized I wouldn't want it removed even if I could. It is a part of me that I was born with. It kinda makes me me, and while it took a long time for me to get over it, I have. "What changed? The best people in my life made me see what the most important things in life are. Being beautiful and strong on the inside is something no amount of plastic surgery can match."

HOW THE FORUMS WORK

On the campaignforrealbeauty.com website, visitors are invited to participate in discussion in one of three forums, hosted by Liveworld. The forums are: Body Image, Older Women and Unconventional Looks. Women are invited to post their views or experiences in any of these categories for comment and reflection by others.

More than 30 moderators were employed to oversee the message board activity as the campaign was launched in 27 country/language combinations. All moderators were trained on what to look for and highlight, what to allow or reject. Few postings were deleted - a respectful discourse generally prevailed. An attitude of seriousness about the topic was matched with a feeling of intimacy and safety. The fact that users can participate in their own language made conversation easier while also underscoring the global nature of the discussion as a whole.

Ed: West coast conversations control eyeballs. East coast blogs complain jealously of the free flow of VC funds. Their newspapers report daily self destructions. 

In the meantime, Madison Avenue continues to flow with multi-million projects. Ironically, they need the expertise of West coast entrepreneurs for the latest projects. Great examples below.

The New Robert Scobles: Seven Leading Corporate Social Media Evangelists Today

from ReadWriteWeb by Marshall Kirkpatrick