MKTG2004 - Consumer Behavior: Dove's Reference Group Campaign Analysis

This assignment analyzes Dove's marketing strategies, specifically focusing on how the brand utilized reference groups to promote its products and build brand image, particularly through the 'Campaign for Real Beauty.' The assignment begins by defining reference groups and their impact on consumer behavior, then examines how Dove strategically employed real women, rather than professional models, to resonate with its target audience. It highlights the campaign's focus on consumer interaction, reality-based messaging, and information accessibility across the purchase journey. The analysis includes the positive outcomes of the campaign, such as increased self-confidence and the promotion of affordable products. The assignment concludes by emphasizing the importance of aligning reference groups with the target market's values and behaviors to ensure effective marketing. References to academic sources support the analysis of Dove's marketing strategies, including its emphasis on consumer behavior and brand building.

Running head: MARKETING
Consumer Behavior
Name of the Student:
Name of the University:
Author Note:

MARKETING 1
Question 3: How can Dove promote their brand/products through the use of reference
groups?
Reference group represented people or groups mostly used by business as the yardstick
for self-assessment or as model of personal standard, taste, behavior and attitude (Hammerl et al.
2016). Put differently, reference group represent people or groups whose behavior, attitude,
opinions, beliefs, values and preferences are identified by individuals based on their judgment. It
is not important to become member of specific reference group to be positively or negatively
influenced by the characteristics.
Identification and usage of reference group in marketing helps in influencing the goals,
attitudes, opinions, aspirations and information required for determining the customer
expectations and standards with regard to the business and its products or services (Cătălin and
Andreea 2014). Understanding the reference group will enable a business in appropriately fine
tuning the marketing message and packaging them appropriately through the preferred platforms
of the customers.
In the year 2004, Dove launched a ‘Campaign for Real Beauty’ where it used women off
streets especially from the grocery store, bookstore and coffee shop instead of professional
models as it reference groups (Murray 2013). This group of women were beyond stereotypical
beauty norms. The selected group of women were mostly in the age group of 22 to 96 and were
in sizes ranging from 6 to 12. These advertisements were then placed on billboards and bus stops
and across major cities like New York, Chicago and Los Angles where viewers were asked to
cast a vote. The use of the reference group enabled Dove to:

2MARKETING
 Focus on interaction with consumers: This allowed Dove to not only identify it as a
beauty brand but one who care about reaching the needs of consumers.
 Adopt Reality Based Campaign: The use of reference group allowed Dove to enhance
the self-confidence and put across effective, affordable and accessible products which
actual women can use confidently for taking care of their skin. In this way, Dove was to
change the perspective in which beauty for women.
 Explore Information at Every Stage of Purchase Journey: Possessing knowledge
about reference group of target audience and best customer can aid Dove in exploring the
accurate information required by prospects at each stage of purchase journey. It also
gives an idea in shaping the messages and the data. Therefore, knowing a suitable
reference group will also enable Dove to opt for someone who might speak for the brand
if required.
Here, it is to be noted that the reference group can be used for the purpose of marketing
by the business of varying size in any sector or industry (Karjaluoto et al. 2015). These groups’
helps in developing powerful programs of marketing that helps in delivering right message in
accurate packaging at right time in the most suitable place. Nevertheless, before the launch of
campaign dependent on the reference groups, it is necessary for Dove to ensure its suitability
with target market. This will help in matching the opinions, taste, values and the behavior of the
concerned group.

3MARKETING
References:
Cătălin, Munteanu Claudiu, and Pagalea Andreea. "Brands as a mean of consumer self-
expression and desired personal lifestyle." Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences 109 (2014):
103-107.
Hammerl, Manfred, Florian Dorner, Thomas Foscht, and Marion Brandstätter. "Attribution of
symbolic brand meaning: the interplay of consumers, brands and reference groups." Journal of
Consumer Marketing (2016).
Karjaluoto, Heikki, Pauliina Ulkuniemi, Hanna Keinänen, and Olli Kuivalainen. "Antecedents of
social media B2B use in industrial marketing context: customers’ view." Journal of Business &
Industrial Marketing (2015).
Murray, Dara Persis. "Branding “real” social change in Dove's Campaign for Real
Beauty." Feminist Media Studies 13, no. 1 (2013): 83-101.