Dove x LinkedIn: #BlackHairIsProfessional

In 2023, Dove partnered with LinkedIn to promote hair acceptance using profile photos. The 2023 CROWN Research Study revealed Black women’s hair is 2.5 times more likely seen as unprofessional. Dove’s strategy included celebrating natural hair, advocating for diversity, and providing DE&I courses on LinkedIn. The campaign targeted Black women and allies, featuring personal stories and collaborations with Black-owned media and influencers.

Challenge

Dove’s CROWN Act, established in 2019, aimed to combat hair discrimination against Black natural hair in schools and workplaces. After four years of promoting the CROWN Act petition with Black Women and Allies, Dove recognized the need to empower consumers to take action in their communities, emphasizing self-reflection and celebration.

Insight

The 2023 CROWN Research Study, co-commissioned with Dove, highlighted that Black women’s hair is 2.5x more likely to be viewed as unprofessional. With the rise of remote work post-COVID, LinkedIn evolved into a more social platform, with increased personal posts and thought leadership discussions. We wanted to create a groundswell among consumers addressing the everyday challenges Black women face, especially in the workplace.

Idea

Dove partnered with LinkedIn, leveraging the platform’s profile photos to promote acceptance of all hair types. Dove aimed to encourage Black professionals to embrace their “CROWN” and redefine professional hair standards. This involved showcasing accomplished women and their authentic work personas. The campaign utilized LinkedIn’s professional resources to offer DE&I courses to the public without a premium subscription.

Delivery

Paid Media was deployed to amplify brand and ambassador efforts, targeting Black women and allies to foster community engagement and personal storytelling. To strengthen Dove’s relationship with the Black community, they collaborated with Black-owned media properties and shared real quotes from Black professionals on their career challenges.

We deployed TikTok and Meta campaigns, sharing influencer stories targeted at Black women and allies. To further the impact, Digital OOH placements were placed in 25 New York City office buildings, directly addressing environments where hair discrimination occurs. This aligned with free training resources on building equitable workplaces.

In Cosmopolitan Magazine, a custom advertorial featured Julee Wilson, a trusted Black Beauty authority, discussing the CROWN Act mission and the importance of eradicating hair-based discrimination.

And finally, during the BET Awards, Essence Festival, and XONecole, Dove collaborated with Tai Beauchamp and BET executives to discuss the 2023 Dove x LinkedIn research on hair discrimination experiences faced by Black Women.

Results

• Ad Recall: 10.5% to 21.8% (+10 point lift)
• Top of Mind Awareness: 49% to 56% (+7 point lift)
• Agreement to the Statement: “Campaign reinforces that black hairstyles and hair textures should be deemed professional in the workplace” (+13 point lift)
• We were able to educate over 1 million hiring managers and workplace professionals on how to create a more inclusive workplace, with a spike in Belonging and Community among Black members on LinkedIn—the highest increase they’ve seen with Black professionals in two years.