Unilever’s Bold Social Media Shift Under New CEO
Just weeks after taking the helm as Unilever’s CEO in March 2025, Fernando Fernandez announced a radical advertising transformation – pledging to redirect 50% of the conglomerate’s ad spend to social media platforms while expanding influencer partnerships twentyfold. This aggressive pivot comes as social media continues to dominate marketing channel growth industry-wide.
“We’re targeting one local influencer in each of India’s 19,000 zip codes and Brazil’s 5,764 municipalities,” Fernandez revealed during a Barclays fireside chat. “This will become an uncompromising priority in our growth strategy.”
Dove Leads the Charge in Creator-Led Marketing
As Unilever’s flagship brand, Dove has emerged as the testing ground for this social-first approach. Marcela Melero, Dove’s Chief Growth Officer for North America, called Fernandez’s mandate “a validation of our existing direction,” noting the brand’s decade-long experience with influencer marketing.
The #ShareTheFirst campaign exemplifies this strategy – Dove’s first fully creator-produced initiative developed without traditional studio production. Partnering with Edelman, the program has already expanded to 14 markets, replacing conventional broadcast advertising with an organic, many-to-many communication model.
“This represents our commitment to authentic community engagement,” Melero explained. “We’re moving from polished campaigns to real human storytelling.”
Data-Driven Approach to Authentic Representation
Building on its 20-year “Real Beauty” platform, Dove’s research revealed troubling digital behaviors:
- 90% of women take 50+ photos before posting
- 60% avoid sharing happy moments due to photo dissatisfaction
“Women shouldn’t have to curate perfection to participate in social media,” said Sarah Potter, Dove’s Global PR Director. “We’re helping reclaim the joy of spontaneous moments.”
The campaign began with UK creator Lucy Reeves before scaling to 100+ influencers globally. A standout activation transformed London’s Liverpool Street Station with 64 digital screens mimicking a smartphone’s photo reel – all content created and posted within 48 hours by community influencers.
Evolving Creator Partnerships
Since 2017, Dove has cultivated long-term relationships with creators who now co-develop campaigns rather than simply amplify messages. This contrasts sharply with transactional influencer marketing, with Potter emphasizing: “We don’t do 24-hour sponsored posts. These are multi-year collaborations with shared values.”
The brand maintains strict content guidelines, including its “No Digital Distortion” pledge and a 2024 ban on AI-generated women in advertising. “Our creators often alert us to emerging issues,” Melero noted, referencing a 2023 campaign addressing problematic beauty filters.
Doubling Down on Purpose
Despite industry retreat from purpose-driven marketing and activist investor pressure, Dove remains committed to its mission. “Purpose isn’t negotiable – it’s our growth engine,” Melero stated definitively. “Making beauty a source of confidence rather than anxiety remains our true north.”
The ShareTheFirst initiative demonstrates how Unilever’s bold media shift combines scale with authenticity – leveraging global reach while maintaining the human connection that built Dove’s legacy. As traditional and digital marketing budgets reach parity across Unilever’s portfolio, the consumer goods giant appears determined to rewrite the rules of brand engagement in the social media age.
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