Dove names new senior global brand director for deodorant arm

Personal care cosmetics brand, Dove, has appointed Swarnim Bharadwaj as its new senior global brand director on Dove Deodorants, under its parent company, Unilever.

In a statement to MARKETING-INTERACTIVE, Bharadwaj said that he will lead brand strategy, innovation, and communication across the globe for Dove’s female deodorants. He will also be leading all premium innovations for the brand while expanding into new benefits, formats, and technology. At the same time, he will also ensure alignment with holistic wellbeing and sustainability.

Don’t miss: Dove partners popular virtual ghost influencer in latest positivity push

On the communications front, Bharadwaj will also be taking the reins across various channels, such as television, digital, public relations, social media, and influencers.

Based in London, he will report to Bianca Cancellera, vice president of Dove Deodorants. He takes over from Andrea Gagliardi, who previously held the role.

Bharadwaj comes from an extensive background in the personal care products industry, having held a mix of marketing and business roles.

Prior to this appointment, he was the senior global marketing director at LUX, another brand under the Unilever umbrella, from 2018 to 2023. In this Singapore-based role, he led a team of over ten brand managers and large cross-functional teams across the brand’s diverse markets, such as China, Japan, Southeast Asia, South Asia, and the Middle East.

Some initiatives under his charge included reengineering the product strategy to premium high-growth segments and revamping the communications ecosystem to a digital-first, data-driven model.

Before his move to Singapore, he was based in India as global strategy director from 2016 to 2018, in which he crafted and implemented the global business and innovation strategy for various brands, including Dove, Axe, Lifebuoy, and LUX.

Bharadwaj joins as Dove increases its efforts to promote positivity. Most recently, it partnered with the animated social media influencer, Lennnie, for its Dove Self-Esteem Project in November 2023.

Lennie, a popular ghost-shaped blob, is known for posting reassuring and adorable messages on Instagram and TikTok. In a bid to spread love and positivity on social media feeds, the partnership was kicked off with a song by Lennnie telling viewers that it loves them and that they glow. The video focused on the unhealthy effects when people let their self-esteem be driven by comparisons on social media.

In October 2023, the brand also partnered with sportswear company, Nike, to help build the body confidence of girls aged 11 to 17, while empowering coaches and athletes worldwide to celebrate the things active bodies can do.

“Sports has the potential to make girls feel confident and strong, yet for so many, the judgement and criticism they face within the sports environment is damaging their confidence and limiting their self-belief. We are proud to team up with Nike to take action towards a more equitable future for girls,” said Alessandro Manfredi, chief marketing officer of Dove, at the time.

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