Heritage Brands Respond to Culture Through Creator Communities

This conversation with Dana Paolucci, Head of Engagement Marketing at Dove, and Raven Walker, SVP of Client Partnerships at Collectively, reveals a profound shift in how heritage brands can achieve cultural relevance. Beyond the obvious, the core thesis is that authentic engagement, driven by a deep understanding and respect for creator communities, is not just a marketing tactic but a fundamental business strategy. The non-obvious implication is that by "responding" to culture rather than "tapping into" it, brands can build sustained movements and avoid the depletion that often accompanies superficial engagement. This is essential reading for brand marketers, PR professionals, and anyone looking to build genuine, long-term advocacy in an increasingly noisy digital landscape, offering a clear advantage in fostering loyalty and driving measurable impact.

The Unlikely Alchemy of Cookies and Culture

The traditional marketing playbook, often focused on transactional campaigns and broad-stroke messaging, is demonstrably failing to capture the attention of modern consumers. Dove, a heritage brand with a deeply ingrained trust, faced the challenge of injecting new energy into established products without alienating its existing audience or appearing inauthentic. The solution, as demonstrated by the Dove x Crumbl collaboration, lies in a radical pivot towards creator-led strategies that prioritize listening and responding. This wasn't about simply slapping a logo on a popular trend; it was about understanding the nuances of a passionate community--the Crumbl fans who live for Monday flavor drops and "leak culture"--and integrating Dove into that ecosystem in a way that felt organic.

The strategy here was a masterclass in consequence mapping. Instead of a typical product launch with a staged PR event, Dove embraced a "social-first" approach. This meant leaning into speculation, even pre-announcing the product through leaks on TikTok and Reddit, and strategically placing it on Walmart.com before the official reveal. This created a month-long period of anticipation, fueling genuine organic conversation and UGC. The decision to mirror the community's behavior--reviewing products in cars, a common practice for Crumbl fans--further solidified the authenticity. This approach avoided the "depletion" associated with simply "tapping into" culture, instead fostering a sense of co-creation and shared excitement.

"On Dove, we actually don't consider tapping into to be the way to do things, because tapping into implies a depletion. It implies an extraction. It implies an extraction from the community, and what we're really here to do is to listen, to learn, and provide solutions and respond in a way that's actually meaningful for the community that we're trying to talk to."

This philosophy is critical. By respecting the inherent "rules" of the Crumbl community, Dove didn't just launch a product; they participated in a cultural moment. The results speak volumes: 5,000 pieces of UGC, the most successful Dove product launch in a decade, and crucially, 52% of buyers being new to the Dove brand. This demonstrates a downstream effect where respecting community dynamics leads to significant market expansion, a delayed payoff that conventional, transactional marketing often misses.

From Desert Trials to Enduring Advocacy

The "Extreme Wash Test" campaign for Dove Deep Moisture Body Wash further illustrates how heritage brands can leverage creator-led experiences to showcase product efficacy in unexpected ways. Faced with the challenge of re-energizing a well-established product, Dove eschewed traditional advertising in favor of an immersive, high-stakes demonstration. The decision to take five content creators and a dermatologist to Chile's Atacama Desert, one of the driest places on Earth, was a bold move that prioritized "demo-tainment"--entertaining while educating.

This campaign highlights a critical system dynamic: the fatigue surrounding conventional influencer trips. By framing the experience as a genuine product test under extreme conditions, Dove differentiated itself. The inclusion of a dermatologist added a layer of credibility, transforming a potential marketing stunt into a scientifically-backed endorsement. The consequence of this approach was not just awareness, but deep consideration. The content generated, much of it organic, provided powerful social proof, demonstrating the product's moisturizing capabilities even in the harshest environments.

"The other thing that was interesting about this was it wasn't just an influencer trip, it wasn't just a media trip. We also created brand content from it, so we had tons of assets at launch that we created with the brand team, but this actually enabled us to create more branded assets that we ended up putting into paid, and it was some of our best performing consideration content."

This illustrates a delayed payoff: the creation of high-performing paid assets from organic, experience-driven content. The campaign generated over 66 million impressions, exceeding goals by 35%, and critically, $1.3 million worth of content was generated without direct payment. This approach also underscored the integration of PR and influencer marketing, with the conversation and talkability stemming from the trip driving editorial placements and awards. It’s a clear example of how investing in unique, experience-driven content can yield substantial, long-term dividends that extend far beyond immediate campaign metrics.

Cultivating Loyalty: The Heartbeat of Community

While viral collaborations and extreme tests capture immediate attention, the true engine of sustained brand growth lies in cultivating genuine, long-term relationships with creators. The Dove Love Community program represents a strategic shift from transactional influencer partnerships to an earned creator engagement model, focusing on building loyalty and fostering continuous organic advocacy. This is particularly vital for heritage brands like Dove, where maintaining relevance requires more than just product promotion; it demands authentic connection.

The challenge for brands like Dove is that their products, while essential, are often passive in nature. Unlike color cosmetics or hair styling products, personal care items like body wash are not typically filmed in use. This makes generating earned content difficult. Dove's strategy acknowledges this by actively creating opportunities for one-on-one engagement, moving beyond rigid briefs to empower creators and understand their communities better. This involves intimate events in key cities outside of traditional hubs like New York and LA, personalized mailers, and a dedicated monthly newsletter with personal notes from Dana Paolucci herself.

"The KPI here was yes, developing these one-on-one relationships, but to also influence and create additional earned content because those first-person endorsements are critical for a brand, and especially a heritage brand, to help keep us relevant, keep us talkable, and really modernize."

This focus on relationship building has a compounding effect. By investing in creators as true extensions of the brand, Dove has seen its earned content rate increase significantly. The Labubu mailer, a rapid, week-long collaboration born from observing a social trend, exemplifies this. By creating a delightful, content-forward experience--mini Dove Beauty Bars for Labubu parents--they generated over 5 million views and a 50% gift-to-content creation rate from mega-influencers, a remarkable feat for a low-cost investment. This demonstrates that fostering genuine connection and providing unique, shareable experiences can unlock powerful organic advocacy, creating a sustainable moat of brand loyalty that transcends fleeting trends.

Key Action Items

• Immediate Actions (0-3 Months):

  • Audit existing creator relationships: Identify opportunities for deeper, one-to-one engagement beyond transactional campaigns.
  • Implement a creator newsletter: Establish a direct communication channel for exclusive brand updates, content ideas, and product news.
  • Conduct "community listening" sessions: Dedicate time to understanding the specific behaviors and communication styles of key consumer communities.
  • Explore "response-first" content opportunities: Monitor cultural moments and identify ways to authentically integrate brand messaging, rather than forcing a "tap-in."

• Medium-Term Investments (3-12 Months):

  • Develop intimate, in-person creator events: Host small gatherings in key cities outside major hubs to foster genuine connection and gather unfiltered feedback.
  • Experiment with "demo-tainment" campaigns: Design creative, experience-driven content that educates and entertains, showcasing product efficacy in unique environments.
  • Integrate PR and influencer marketing teams: Ensure seamless collaboration to amplify brand narratives across earned and owned channels.

• Longer-Term Investments (12-18+ Months):

  • Shift from rigid briefs to co-creation: Empower creators to leverage their understanding of their communities for more authentic content.
  • Diversify channel strategies based on creator needs: Develop tailored briefs for owned channels, paid media, and creator-specific platforms.
  • Prioritize building earned content: Focus on strategies that encourage organic advocacy and reduce reliance on paid promotions for core product messaging.
  • Invest in unique product integrations/mailers: Create highly shareable, content-forward assets that creators are motivated to share organically, even at a lower cost.