Dive Brief:

• Unilever brand Dove Hair teamed up with singer Kelly Rowland on “Crown,” a new “power anthem” and music video that strives to break down the narrow definition of beautiful hair and encourage girls to be confident in however they choose to wear their hair, with a message to “Wear it proud. #MyHairMyCrown,” according to a press release shared with Marketing Dive. 
• The brand will make a cameo during the “E! Live From The Red Carpet: The 2019 Grammy Awards” show on Feb. 10. The two-minute spot will feature clips from the “Crown” music video, directed by Hannah Lux Davis, as well as a special message from Rowland encouraging fans to join the #MyHairMyCrown conversation. The track is available on streaming platforms, and Dove Hair released exclusive behind-the-scenes content. 
• Dove Global Self-Esteem Ambassador Jess Weiner and Self-Esteem Educator Dre Brown will host workshops to address expressing self-confidence through celebrating all hair types. Rowland will reveal the curricula and be a mentor during the workshop with young people from a local Boys & Girls Club.

Dive Insight:

The #MyHairMyCrown effort is part of Dove’s ongoing commitment to celebrate diversity and empower women, and follows other similarly-themed campaigns like Love Your Curls and Love Your Hair. It was inspired by internal Dove Hair research showing that 65% of young girls see their hair as a form of self-expression, but nearly 50% say their hair can make them feel self-conscious, as well as real-life stories of girls who have experienced bullying and discrimination because of their hair, according to the brand. 

Teaming up with Rowland on a song and music video is an effort to target Gen Z and younger audiences, who expect brands to help them live up to their identities and feature more diversity in advertising. Sixty percent of Gen Z members agree that “changing ideas about gender are allowing more people to be themselves,” an eMarketer survey found. Dove Hair also found in its research that 71% of girls see music as influential in their lives, and pairing music with an empowering message could help the brand deepen its connection. 

The campaign also points to how marketers continue to embrace highly produced video, like music videos, to reach digital-savvy consumers. Original digital video viewership was expected to reach 86 million Americans aged 13 and older in 2018, according to the Interactive Advertising Bureau. Video ad spending is expected to grow from $91 billion in 2018 to $103 billion by 2023, with the total share of video ad spending increasing from 21% to 34% over that time period, according to Forrester research.

Educating young people on body confidence and building self-esteem are themes that Dove has embraced in past marketing campaigns targeting young audiences. The brand announced a two-year partnership with Cartoon Network series “Steven Universe” to support young people’s self-confidence. The partnership included an original song featuring the show’s cast, a music video and educational e-book. The animated series focuses on inclusivity, empathy and relatability.