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A storm erupted on social media when beloved Canadian news anchor Lisa LaFlamme was allegedly ousted from her job. LaFlamme had worked for the network for more than 35 years, winning awards for reporting from conflict and disaster zones.
According to reports, senior CTV News executive Michael Melling had asked who had approved the decision to “let Lisa’s hair go grey.” LaFlamme is no longer with CTV News, while Melling is taking a leave effective immediately.
As this cultural moment took off, sparking debates about ageism and sexism in the workplace, Dove decided to swiftly enter the conversation. With its #KeepTheGrey Campaign, Dove did brilliantly what brands often get wrong: showing up in a cultural moment that was relevant to the brand, the consumer and the greater ecosystem.
Here’s what marketers can learn from Dove’s perfectly timed execution.
Have a pulse on cultural conversations
As marketers, we must have our fingers on the pulse of the cultural conversation. We can’t relegate this responsibility to someone else. It’s our job to ensure our brand continues to stay relevant and top of mind for our consumers.
Anyone who touches a brand should be listening and watching what’s happening in our world on a daily basis. Ensure that someone in your marketing ecosystem is the designated keeper of cultural conversations, keeping the rest of the team apprised of key moments.
Remember, not every cultural conversation you come across will be relevant to your brand. For Dove, the firing of LaFlamme was a perfect opportunity given the brand’s Real Beauty Pledge, inspiring women to want to look like the best version of themselves.
LaFlamme embraced her grey hair and the best version of herself and, as a result, lost her job. Dove was perfectly poised to jump in and act.
Be ready and act quickly
Within days of LaFlemme losing her job, the Dove Canada team, along with their agency Edelman, was quick to act. It was an opportunity to continue to propel the brand. But more importantly, with Dove’s significant platform, it was a moment for the brand to show up as an advocate for women and further the conversation.
Dove quickly launched #KeepTheGrey campaign. Though it doesn’t directly mention LaFlamme, it’s rallying support for women from being aged out of the workplace. Dove Canada has turned its logo grey and the brand is encouraging people to do the same with their social media profile pictures to join the fight against ageism in the workplace.
For marketers, it’s important to remember that if you don’t act quickly enough, the moment will pass you by and be irrelevant. The Dove Canada and Edelman collaboration is a powerful example of the impact that can be made when there is complete understanding, alignment and trust.
Entering real-time cultural conversations requires preparation and planning. Ensure you are talking to your agencies, be proactive in setting up processes including who will be involved and confirm expectations on how quickly materials can be pulled together, like images and content. Finally, be absolutely clear on who needs to provide final approvals before the moment passes you by.
Partner with organizations that share your vision
Dove took the #KeepTheGrey campaign one step forward. Keeping true to the brand’s purpose, Dove found a partner who shared the brand’s long-standing commitment to advocating for girls and women. Dove donated $100,000 to Catalyst, a nonprofit committed to helping create inclusive workplaces for women. Since 1962, Catalyst has supported many of the world’s CEOs and leading companies with strategies and tools to help advance at work.
Finally, Dove’s #KeepTheGrey campaign now has the momentum to become a movement. The Wendy’s Corporation joined the cause, changing Wendy’s profile pic to grey. Wendy’s Canada even tweeted, “Because a star is a start regardless of hair colour.”
Dove’s #KeepTheGrey Campaign is a brilliant example and should serve as inspiration for marketers on how to enter cultural moments. And more importantly, this campaign serves as a reminder of the power of brands to spark a movement.
