# Ethical Brand Debate Unilever Attacked in Latest Dove Campaign By Jamie Coomber | Published 2007-11-28 | Pop Culture Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/unilever-attack-dove References: [freshenmeup](http://www.freshenmeup.com) [Unilever](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/beauty-without-bunnies) is under scrutiny as activists, journalists and bloggers have criticized the company for being hypercritical through the latest Dove “Onslaught” campaign where Dove show the ugly side of beauty, whilst building a brand in the form of Axe through the use of beautiful bikini-clad women. The video was made by Rye Clifton, a Senior Strategic Planner who claims he didn't realise that both brands fell under the Unilever umbrella. When he found out, his immediate thought was, "That would make a perfect video on [YouTube](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/whaxe-pack)." Unilever has issued a statement saying, "The Axe campaign is a spoof of 'mating game' and men's desire to get noticed by women and not meant to be taken literally". With the ever growing popularity of [Social Networks](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/authentic-skincare-campaign) being used as an educational tool, I would really like to see Unilever use this medium to communicate with their critics and look at how they can address this issue. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 5.9/10 - Popularity: 80% | Activity: 90% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 10% men, 90% women - Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America, Europe ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Pop Culture](https://www.trendhunter.com/popculture) > [Internet](https://www.trendhunter.com/internet) ## Key Themes ### Key Themes Behind This Trend - **Ethical Marketing:** Opportunity to explore ethical marketing practices and promote transparency in branding. - **Consumer Activism:** Growing trend of consumers holding brands accountable for their actions and demanding ethical behavior. - **Brand Authenticity:** Increasing focus on creating genuine and consistent brand messaging to build trust with consumers. ### Where This Applies - **Personal Care:** Opportunity for personal care brands to prioritize ethical practices and transparency in their marketing campaigns. - **Advertising:** Opportunity for the advertising industry to promote responsible advertising and avoid contradictory messaging. - **Social Media:** Opportunity for social media platforms to be used as a communication tool for brands to address criticism and engage with their audience. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Empowering Skincare Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/skincare-campaign-1.md) - [Humorous Mens Fragrance Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/axe-campaign.md) - [Gamer-Centric Beauty Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/real-virtual-beauty.md) - [Truth-Forward Beauty Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/the-ordinary-x-uncommon.md) - [Customer Review-Platforming Skincare Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/feedback-from-reddit.md) - [New Years Specific Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/unready-for-anything.md) - [Cruelty-Free Deodorants](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/beauty-without-bunnies.md) - [Non-AI Beauty Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/the-code.md) - [Nostalgic Beauty Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/unseenbeauty-initiative.md)