• by Sarah Mahoney , Today

With dozens of brands stampeding into the FIFA ecosystem, Dove Men+Care thinks it has found its way through the clutter with "Care for Your Skin Like You Care for the Game,” a campaign channeling stadium-level intensity. The BBDO-created ads feature "Seven Nation Army," the White Stripes’ arena classic.

With the familiar stadium chant, plenty of body paint and emotional intensity, the goal is a platform connecting fan rituals — body paint, lucky jerseys, match-day superstitions — to grooming behaviors and skincare. The Unilever brand is also selling limited-edition product drops tied to ticket giveaways, at a moment when entry to IRL games feels almost unachievable. The brand is also working with a large crew of influencers, including Marshawn Lynch, Trinity Rodman, and Jordyn Woods, and running immersive "Ritual House" activations in host cities like Kansas City, New York and Miami.

Soccer fandom is filled with so many of these rituals, says Jake Hirsch, head of Dove Men+Care U.S., and people take them very seriously. "They are an inherent expression of identity, tied to authenticity, and that comes through in the campaign," he says.

Dove’s entry point? That level of devotion is hard on a guy's skin. "Being a passionate fan puts your skin and your body through a lot, and it's a nice bridge to Dove Men's story around freshness, comfort and skincare,” he tells Marketing Daily. The diverse cast of influencers is creating content that builds not just on game enthusiasm, but skincare wisdom. Dove Men, which the company claims is the No. 1 dermatologist-recommended body wash brand, wants to help those fans who are putting their skin through the rigors of fandom.

Earlier this year, Unilever announced a major marketing pivot, saying it would now devote 50% of all ad spending to social media, up from 30%, and Hirsch says that edict is very much built into the architecture of this campaign. All marketing investments  — traditional media, social, influencer, digital and out-of-home — aim to balance "an ecosystem that is super-engaging for consumers."

If it works, that evidence will show up in retail, and the brand is closely watching whether those limited-edition World Cup products — with scents like Striker Swag, Fresh Victory and All-Star Comfort — create "positive disruption" at shelf, cutting through the everyday aisle in a way that moves both casual shoppers and dedicated fans.

It helps that the category still has plenty of growth potential, with men increasingly interested in personal-care and grooming products that help them look and feel better. Men’s grooming products are a bright spot in the CPG world, up nearly 7% this year in the U.S., at $7.1 billion. And 59% of men now say they are concerned about the appearance of aging, up from 50% in 2025, according to NIQ.

For Dove Men, that means an opening to score. Adds Hirsch: "We think this is a cool moment to bring fandom,  individuality and skincare together in one campaign."