Unilever's "from the #1 dermatologist recommended cleansing brand" labeling claim for Dove Daily Hydrating Cleansing Cloths has a "reasonable basis," the National Advertising Division of the Council for Better Business Bureaus concludes in a recently-released case report.

NAD's evaluation of the claim was prompted by Olay Daily Facials marketer Procter & Gamble. Dove cleansing cloths were introduced in March 2001, following the June 2000 debut of Olay Daily Facials by approximately nine months.

In its review, the watchdog group examined information from Unilever's medical tracking program, which includes dermatologist surveys, and additional physician survey data collected by NDC Health Information Services.

The medical tracking program, initiated in 1993, is conducted for Unilever by Monroe Mendelsohn Research. Over 1,200 interviews with dermatologists have been logged since the program began, according to the marketer. The NDC database provides information on total brand share and average weekly recommendations per doctor for various categories, including soaps.

According to the case report, "the consistency of the results of two independently conducted studies (upon which the advertiser relied), with several repetitions (over the course of several years)...spoke to the reliability and convincing nature of the results."

However, NAD also noted "such a claim and the reasonable basis upon which it was founded was not without its limits and restrictions" and reminded the marketer to "remain diligent in maintaining the support upon which the claim is made."

In support of its challenge, P&G submitted data it had obtained from NDC indicating Galderma's Cetaphil had garnered a higher share of recommendations than Dove. NAD notes the information supplied by P&G showed Cetaphil liquid and bar products collectively earned more recommendations than Dove bar and body wash combined. However, the group adds, Dove bar had more recommendations individually than Cetaphil bar or liquid, individually.

Prior to the conclusion of NAD's review, Unilever modified the claim slightly to include the word "cleansing" to describe the brand; the original statement was, "from the #1 brand recommended by dermatologists." However, the case report notes that "like the advertiser, NAD considered this to be a minor qualification."

A second claim at issue was the "1/4 moisturizing lotion" descriptor that also appears on product labels. P&G maintained the claim is false because Dove Cloths are dry and contain no lotion, NAD notes.

Unilever acknowledged that the Dove cloths as purchased will have no perceptible or functional lotion, the report continues. "This is in contrast to lotion cleansing cloths, such as Basis, Pond's, Bioré and Clean & Clear , which do in fact, deliver functional lotion as sold," NAD points out.

However, Unilever maintained that five ingredients in the solution embedded in the cloths, if combined separately, would form a matrix with the consistency of a lotion. The company also pointed out the lotion component of the cleansing solution constitutes at least 25% of the total solution at the manufacturing stage.

Noting Dove bar soap advertising for years has highlighted the product's lotion component, NAD concluded it "would not be unreasonable for consumers to expect that these cloths that also prominently bear the '1/4 moisture lotion' claim would be manufactured in much the same way."

"In light of these issues," the report explains, "NAD was troubled by the fact that this claim was echoed on a product that did not contain a lotion (in the colloquial conventional sense)."

The group recommended Unilever modify the claim to "more accurately and specifically speak to the moisturizing ingredients in its product as opposed to the implied compositional claim of the incorporation of lotion in the product." In response, the company said it would revise the statement to "more clearly convey how the product is made, so as to avoid creating any consumer expectations about the consistency of the product when used."

Dove Cleansing Cloths “#1 Recommended Brand” Claim Supported – NAD

More from Archive

More from HBW Insight