Unilever's Brand Strategy: How Consumer Behavior Drives Marketing

This report analyzes Unilever's success in applying its understanding of factors that influence consumer behavior to market its products globally. It examines psychological, cultural, and personal factors, referencing Unilever's Dove campaign, Ragú's social media strategy, and Lifebuoy's health initiatives. The analysis details how Unilever leverages these factors to connect with consumers, build brand loyalty, and increase sales, while also acknowledging potential challenges such as rival firms and changing consumer preferences. The report concludes that understanding and adapting to diverse consumer behaviors is crucial for Unilever's global marketing success. Desklib provides access to this and other solved assignments for students.

How Unilever’s
Brands Connect with
Consumers

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
How successful is Unilever in applying its understanding of factors that influence consumer
behaviour to market its products............................................................................................3
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................5
REFERENCE...................................................................................................................................6

INTRODUCTION
Global markets has a lot of opportunities for different kinds of businesses and customers
oversees have different behaviour which need to analysis well before they are approached with
products and services by firms. Recognising customer base in another nation is the first step in
marketing and delivering the product and service to them which generates meaningful sales. The
case study is about how Unilever's brand connects with customers. In this report, it would
analysis how Unilever is successful in applying the comprehension of factors which influence
consumer behaviour to market their products.
How successful is Unilever in applying its understanding of factors that influence consumer
behaviour to market its products
From the case study, there are various factors that influence consumer behaviour which
are mentioned below:
Psychological factor: Psychological factor is a main dominant of consumer behaviour.
This factor is hard to measure but it is influential enough to influence the buying decision. These
factors include an individual's attitude, perception about a situation, ability to understand
information, what motivates them, its personality and their beliefs (Chen and Cheng, 2019).
According to Shiffman's consumer behaviour theory, the procedure of making purchase decision
based in cognitive and emotional authority such as impulse, relations, friends and many more
which influence a purchase. Unilever's marketing initiative Dove's Campaigns for Real beauty
has created influence on people to counter beauty stereotype and make point that real beauty is
more than skin deep.
From this factor, it has been depicted that Unilever's initiative towards the real beauty has
appreciated by people and with this, they are able to increase their sales and profitability. This
campaign's theme has reinforced good self-esteem in women of various ages, sizes, years and
shapes. On the other hand, as the organisation's message is to make the point about real beauty,
there are many rival firms which could oppose and manipulate the message. This could create a
negative impact on the selected organisation.
Culture factor: Culture factor is the requirement, values, behaviours, wants and
preferences which are observed and absorbed by us or from close family members and also other
significant individuals (Mohan and et. al., 2017). This factor includes groups which shared a
common set of beliefs or values. It also includes social class such as occupations, backgrounds,

education and residing location. According to the Hawkins Stern Impulse Buying theory,
impulse purchases are primarily influenced by external stimuli and have little to no connection
with traditional decision-making.
Unilever's Ragú has courted parents with Facebook and YouTube. Heavily use of social
media by Unilever strives to establish an emotional relationship with its customers and to
comprehend their ever-changing demands and interests (Podhorska, Sroka and Majerova, 2021).
The organisation markets its products to Latino families in the US. Latino families could use
Spanish Unilever's website and Facebook page which offers recipes, coupons, holiday idea.
Unilever also hosts the Disfruita la Pasión de la Vida event outside the store to reach and engage
Latino customers.
From the above, it could be analysed that this event has increases their sales as well as
brand loyalty towards Unilever. This factor has also influences and attracts Latino customers and
also the company turns to its multicultural consumer marketing insights research team for
guiding them to know more about various cultures. The Ragú recipe has gain popularity using
Facebook and YouTube which convince people to buy. On the other side, the organisation could
get negative reviews about the Ragú recipe on Facebook. People could made statement regarding
culture and backlashes Unilever for developing product according to the culture.
Personal factor: Personal factors impact a consumer's purchasing behaviour. These
variables fluctuate from person to person, resulting in varying perceptions and consumer
behaviour (Morrad, 2021). According to Theory of reasoned action, consumer act on behaviour
based on their intention to create or receive a certain result.
Unilever has encouraged healthy environment sustainable behaviour across the globe.
They initially educate consumers on the need of washing with soap to avoid the spread of illness.
Following that, they demonstrate to consumers how simple it is to take action, and then they
must make the new behaviour appealing, such as cleaning to keep the family safe from germs.
This is vital to make customers feel good about doing this action which is for themselves, their
family, and society (Riley, 2016). Finally, they would find a way to continue the behaviour over
time which is asking children to wash before every meal. By these steps, Unilever has convinced
millions of customers for adopting healthy habit of washing their hands and promoting Lifebuoy
soap brand at the same time.

From the above, it has been analysed that they are able to create awareness about
importance of washing hand and eventually marketing their Lifebuoy soap across the globe. This
creates brand reputation in the minds of people which helps organisation in increasing their sales.
On the other side, people could purchase product from their rival organisation as there are many
alternatives which are available to them (Park and et. al., 2021). Along with this, there are also
people which are stick to a certain brand who will not change their lifestyle. This could create
declining of sales of the firm.
CONCLUSION
From the above discussion, it can be concluded that providing services to customers
globally is the procedure of offering excellent services to customers by using various platforms,
channels and markets. This also depicts developing key strategies and support systems for aiding
global customers spread across the globe. In this report, it includes the three factors which create
influence on consumer behaviour to market their products.

REFERENCE
Book and journal
Chen, Z. F. and Cheng, Y., 2019. Consumer response to fake news about brands on social media:
the effects of self-efficacy, media trust, and persuasion knowledge on brand trust.
Journal of Product & Brand Management.
Mohan, M. and et. al., 2017. Brand skill: linking brand functionality with consumer-based brand
equity. Journal of Product & Brand Management.
Morrad, D. M., 2021. What happens at the brand interface? A narrative inquiry into the brand
management practices of small firms in Hertfordshire, UK.
Park, A. and et. al., 2021. Brand stories in marketing: a bibliographic perspective. Journal of
Strategic Marketing, pp.1-20.
Podhorska, I., Sroka, W. and Majerova, J., 2021. Sustainable brand management: Goodwill as a
tool to quantify brand value from the perspective of stakeholders. In Sustainable
Branding (pp. 55-77). Routledge.
Riley, F. D. O., 2016. Brand definitions and conceptualizations: the debate. In The Routledge
companion to contemporary brand management (pp. 35-44). Routledge.