Some 91% of Canadian women believe it's time society thought of
aging in a positive way. Dove agrees, and in support of its Pro-Age
products, spearheaded a campaign to change societal views on aging
by promoting the belief that beauty has no age limit. Dove
commissioned an award winning playwright to create a one-of-a-kind
live play, "Body & Soul", using a cast of real women aged
between 45 and 78.
The media strategy was based on partnering with a limited number
of media suppliers to foster a meaningful relationship with the
audience, maintain their attention through the narrative and allow
them to participate in the program. Dove chose Transcontinental
Media (Canada's leading publisher of women's magazines) as the
print and online partner, and CBS Television as the broadcast
support. To find cast members for the play, women were invited to
write an audition letter, Dove and Transcontinental worked closely
together to create customized magazine and online content which
built emotional credibility for the campaign, and encouraged women
to audition. Advertorials, letters from the editor, e-blasts, web
forums and brand ads were used to drive submissions. To promote the
theatrical run of the play, the partnership with Transcontinental
resulted in an eight page article featuring interviews with the
cast and playwright, letters from the editor, web features, a chat
session with cast members, a contest to win tickets to see the
play, and a cast picture on the cover of Canada's top ranked
women's magazine.
As a result, Body and Soul played to sell out crowds, winning
rave reviews. CBS was the platform for the documentary, "Finding
Body and Soul." The campaign delivered 124 million media
impressions, with 55,000 unique visitors to the website.