The dove logo is widely recognized around the world as belonging to Unilever, the British-Dutch consumer goods company. Unilever uses the dove logo for its line of beauty and personal care products, known simply as Dove.
The iconic Dove logo features the silhouette of a dove in flight facing left. The dove is white and set against a solid blue background. The word “Dove” appears in a simple sans-serif font underneath the dove image.
Dove products can be found in over 80 countries worldwide and include bar soaps, body washes, facial cleansers, deodorants, hair care products and more. While Unilever uses many brand logos for its diverse portfolio of over 400 brands, the dove logo is one of its most recognizable.
History of the Dove Brand
Dove originated in the United States in 1957 as a revolutionary new beauty bar that contained mild cleansers and moisturizing cream. It was developed by Lever Brothers, a British soap manufacturer that merged with a Dutch margarine company to form Unilever in 1929.
The white dove logo was chosen to represent the mildness and gentleness of Dove beauty bars compared to other soaps available at the time. Unilever launched the Dove brand into the U.S. market with a “one-quarter cleansing cream” marketing campaign that emphasized the soap’s moisturizing properties.
Dove Beauty Bar Success
The original Dove Beauty Bar became the best-selling soap in the U.S. within two years. Unilever expanded the Dove line to include body washes, facial cleansers, deodorants, hair care and other personal care products over the following decades.
Dove products continued to focus on moisturization, skin care and gentle cleansing while using the recognizable dove logo across its growing brand. Today, Dove products are globally popular and commonly associated with the dove logo.
Dove Campaign for Real Beauty
In 2004, Unilever launched the Dove Campaign for Real Beauty to promote positive self-image and redefine narrow definitions of female beauty. Print, TV and digital ads featured real women of diverse ages, sizes and ethnicities. This campaign further expanded public awareness of the Dove brand and its dove logo.
Dove Logo Details
The famous dove logo has evolved subtly over the decades but remains simple and minimalist. The key elements that make the dove logo so identifiable include:
- White dove silhouette in side profile facing left
- Dove in graceful flight with wings outstretched
- Blue background color
- “Dove” brand name in thin, capital letters
Artists and graphic designers may tweak minor details of the dove logo, like the shape of the wings or the font of the text. But in general, the dove logo has retained its iconic look and feel since the brand’s launch in 1957.
Here are some example images showing the consistency of the dove logo over time:
1957 | 1970s | 1980s |
2000s | 2010s | 2020s |
Global Reach of Dove
The dove logo is recognized worldwide due to Unilever’s global marketing and distribution of Dove products. Here are some key facts about Dove’s impressive international reach:
- Sold across more than 80 countries
- Market leader in many countries for bar soaps and body washes
- Products available on every continent except Antarctica
- Manufacturing facilities in many regions like North America, Europe, Latin America, Asia and Africa
- Labeling and advertising localized to connect with diverse cultures
Dove has achieved billion-dollar brand status through its global growth. The following table illustrates some of Dove’s top markets by estimated annual sales:
Country | Estimated Annual Sales |
---|---|
United States | $500 million |
Mexico | $100 million |
Brazil | $300 million |
United Kingdom | $200 million |
India | $100 million |
The universal recognition of the dove logo shows how Unilever has made Dove one of the most ubiquitous personal care brands in the world.
Dove Brand Identity
The consistent use of the dove logo allows customers to quickly identify Dove products in stores across the globe. The logo encapsulates Dove’s brand identity through its key characteristics:
- Simplicity – The clean, minimalist dove design reflects the straightforward purpose of Dove’s personal care products.
- Purity – The white color of the dove evokes a sense of innocent purity.
- Gentleness – The dove in flight implies a gentle, mild product experience.
- Femininity – The graceful dove shape has a feminine aesthetic.
- Self-esteem – Campaigns link Dove with promoting self-confidence and natural beauty.
When people see the dove logo, they instantly recognize these positive brand associations in markets all over the world.
Logo Modifications
Unilever occasionally modifies the dove logo to create sub-brand identities or limited edition designs. Some examples include:
- Tinted or colored versions of the dove for product lines like Dove Go Fresh, Dove Peach & Almond, etc.
- Adding a heart shape over the ‘v’ in “Dove” for Valentine’s Day packages
- An all-pink dove logo used for Dove’s breast cancer awareness campaign
- Slight alterations to the dove shape or wings for Dove Men+Care products
However, the core white dove logo remains the standard across most Dove products.
Conclusion
For over 60 years, the white dove logo has represented Dove as an iconic and trusted personal care brand. It is recognized globally as synonymous with Dove’s values of beauty, femininity, purity and gentleness. Unilever has built Dove into a multi-billion dollar brand and expanded its product lines while maintaining brand consistency through the distinctive dove logo. The minimalist dove design effectively evokes positive emotions and identification with beauty and self-esteem ideals. For consumers worldwide, seeing the Dove logo signals a product they can trust for health, hygiene and personal care needs.