Images courtesy of Unilever
Dove is leaning into the idea that ticket prices and concertgoers often stink.
To promote its new alcohol-free Whole Body Deo range, the Unilever brand is inviting Ontarians to follow its Hot Seats by Dove Instagram account, which reveals daily clues to passcodes that unlock giveaways for select RBC Amphitheatre summer concerts.
“Live music brings the heat – but that doesn’t mean you have to smell like it,” said Ashley Kelso, senior brand manager, female deodorants at Unilever Canada. “With over 56 million TikTok views of people begging concertgoers to wear deodorant, it’s clear that B.O. is killing the vibe.”
Agency partners involved in the campaign include Edelman on creative, digital and earned-media components, Collectively on influencer engagement, Initiative on paid media and Eat It Up Media on experiential.
To take the experience beyond social, Dove drove a Hot Seats-branded truck to high-traffic locations in Toronto from May 21 to 29 to offer free product samples, coupons and mocktails inspired by the four-spray product line.
The brand says the campaign reflects continued investment in culturally relevant consumer experiences, blending social engagement, experiential and product storytelling while supporting growing demand for body-care innovations like whole-body deodorant.
“Consumers today are looking for engaging content that feels authentic to them,” Kelso says. “With Dove Hot Seats, we wanted to meet our audience on platforms we knew they were already engaging with when it comes to music.”
Dove promoted the contest on Reddit and developed creator content on Instagram and TikTok, along with paid placements on Spotify and in-stadium at RBC Amphitheatre. The brand says it plans to give away 60,000 Whole body spray samples throughout the year.
The campaign is further amplified through earned-media outreach, influencer engagement and an in-store demo booth running at select Shoppers Drug Mart locations from May 30 to 31, linked to a 4,000 PC Optimum points offer.
Kelso says whole-body deodorant “has been a major disruptor in the deodorant category” as consumers become increasingly aware that less than 1% of sweat is produced in the underarm area, while the chest and back are often among the sweatiest parts of a woman’s body.
Full-body deodorants have now generated $23 million in annual sales, she adds, with category growth currently at 28% year-over-year.
