• by Christine Bittar , January 16, 2007

Continuing to build on its most successful franchise, Unilever next month plans to launch a "Pro-Age" line of Dove branded personal care products.

Dove Pro-Age puts a more upbeat spin on the traditional "anti-" used to describe anti-aging products. It will target pre- and post-menopausal Boomer females, or women who might be growing age-conscious.

The launch also kicks off the next phase of Dove's "Campaign for Real Beauty" advertising. That successful effort, from agency Ogilvy & Mather, started two years ago with ads focusing on real-sized women, rather than young, thin porcelain-skinned models. (Marketing Daily named Unilever the Consumer Packaged Goods Marketer of the Year for its success with the Dove brand.)

The new Dove line and surrounding communication will be the first time Unilever "addresses menopausal women, but in a very positive way," Dove Marketing Director Kathy O'Brien told Women's Wear Daily.

Unilever's Dove Pro-Age launch is unusually ambitious, in that several collections will be introduced at the same time. This differs from typical packaged-goods and beauty launches. Generally, marketers introduce one category of products, and then expand into other areas if successful.

Fifteen SKUs in the Pro-Age line rolling out next month here and overseas include facial care products with SPF, hand and body lotions, body wash, bar soap, deodorant, and hair care products. Prices will be slightly higher than other Dove products ranging from $3 for bar soap to $14 for facial care items.

The line will be distinguishable onshelf with un-Dove-like maroon-colored packaging. One ingredient in the line is alpha hydroxyl acid--not unusual in face and body care products, but a first for the Dove brand.

Since the late 1990s, Unilever has steadily put Dove into new categories beyond soap and body wash. Those have included antiperspirant/deodorants, shampoos, conditioners and styling aids, a facial care line and updated personal wash items.

Beyond the Campaign for Real Beauty, Unilever has introduced updated Dove product sublines such as Dove Cool Moisture bar soap (which is cucumber fragranced), the Dove Calming Night line, and Dove Energy Glow products (which act as subtle sunless tanners).

With the new launches and high-profile marketing, Dove brand sales grew 10.3% to $590.2 million for the year ended Dec. 31, reports IRI.

The upcoming older-skewing, female-empowerment extension of Campaign for Real Beauty follows Dove's first foray into consumer-generated TV, to support new Dove Cream Oil Body Washes. A consumer-generated spot will premiere next month during the Academy Awards on ABC.