Strengths

1.  The primary ingredient in Dove products are synthetic surfactants, which offer many benefits to traditional soaps, including not drying out the skin. Combining these surfactants with cream has given Dove a reputation for being healthy and hydrating for the skin.

2.  Dove has strong brand awareness in the consumer market due to their advertising efforts. Dove’s compelling marketing campaigns have created a strong Brand Identity revolving around female beauty and self-esteem.

3. Thanks to parent company Unilever, Dove has extensive distribution routes making them available in prime locations in 190 countries worldwide.

4. Dove has partnered with the World Association for Girl Guides and Scouts (WAGGGS), a global organization representing 10 million girls across 150 countries. Together they also advocate at forums such as Women Deliver, the Commission on the Status of Women, and the UN General Assembly. This partnership gives Dove a great deal of reach and strengthens their Brand Identity.

Weaknesses

1.  Parent company Unilever owns many other brands, and some of those brands (for example, Axe and Fair & Lovely) have contradictory marketing philosophies that weaken Dove’s brand by association.

2. Though Dove has a line of products directed at Men, their strong Brand Identity centered around women makes it more difficult for them to attract male consumers, as many view them as a feminine brand.

3. Dove’s drive to spark social change and start global conversations on heated topics, means there is also a heightened danger to garner negative press and alienate consumers by creating controversies. For example, some of their ads have been accused of being racially insensitive, or accused of promoting cultural beauty standards.

4. Amid mounting environmental awareness, a growing number of consumers are interested in turning to vegan products and are more likely to purchase soaps that are 100% plant based as a result. 8% of the world population identifies as vegan or vegetarian, and that number is expected to grow. However, Dove’s dependance on animal fats as surfactants means that their products cannot be considered vegan.

Opportunities

1. The global bath soap market is primarily driven by the growing awareness among the masses regarding personal hygiene and grooming. The increase in the population and economic growth has resulted in improving living standards, which is propelling the demand for soap across the world. Because of these factors, analyst predict that the market value will increase to $27.2 Billion by 2026.

2. COVID-19 has put hygiene and wellness at the forefront of consumers’ minds, fueling the demand for soap, bath, and shower products, particularly hand sanitizer and soap. Consumers are now showering/bathing more frequently, contributing to market gains. Long-term sales growth for the market is expected, as many consumers plan to continue to use showering and bathing rituals to manage their mental wellbeing.

3. The global men’s personal care market size was valued at $47.5 billion in 2019 and is expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate of 6% from 2020 to 2027. In recent years, the notion that men cannot use beauty and grooming products has receded; An increase in concerns related to health, body-image, self-grooming, and hygiene among men are the key factors driving the market.

4. Biometric data and AI can be used to understand root causes of skin issues and provide personalized recommendations for skin-care products. Analyst suggest that many consumers are open to the collection and usage of biometric data when it comes to a personalized approach. Specifically, 42% of US adults agree that they’d be willing to share their personal biometric data (eg DNA, skin type) with beauty brands, per Mintel’s 35-market consumer research study (July 2020). Brands can grow profits by charging a price premium on these customized products.

Threats

1.  The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), which is the UK’s regulator of advertising across all media, is now requiring that brands disclose their commercial relationship with social influencers, usually with the hashtag “#ad”. The ASA is also restricting certain uses of filters on photos that promote beauty products.

2.  The European Commission has published its European Green Deal, a far-reaching plan that targets climate-neutrality by 2050 by introducing a set of policy initiatives. The deal includes broad chemical regulations that will begin imposing harsher restrictions on the use of chemicals in products classified as non-essential. This will impact the beauty product industry, as those products are not currently considered essential.

3. Cultural perceptions of beauty are shifting rapidly; our increasingly fragmented culture offers multiple versions of beauty rather than just one dominant ideal. As beauty standards change, it will be difficult for retailers to stay ahead of evolving trends.

4. Public pressures from various sources are leading to the loss of ingredients that have a long safety record, posing challenges to the personal care products industry. For example, Parabens are widely used as preservatives in cosmetic products to prevent bacteria and other microorganisms from growing. Yet widespread misinformation has caused consumers to pressure manufactures to find alternatives.