At a Glance

  • Dove Men+Care partnered with fitness app Strava to support the relaunch of its reformulated 2-in-1 shampoo and conditioner line, as learned by Marketing Dive.
  • The Strava challenge is part of a larger marketing campaign that includes creator collaborations, social media content, and paid media. TV personality and entrepreneur Kyle Cooke serves as the campaign spokesperson to boost engagement and brand awareness.
  • Dove Men+Care's parent company Unilever has made sports and influencer marketing central to its market strategy. Recently, the company activated more than 35 brands (including Dove Men+Care) during the World Cup with influencer content collaborations and offline experiential activities.

Deep Dive

Dove Men+Care continues to make sports and fitness a key pillar of its marketing strategy. The partnership with Strava aims to link personal care with fitness habits and emphasize the importance of consistent routines.

In recent years, the men's grooming market has grown significantly, especially among Gen Z men, largely due to social media influence. According to Barclays data cited by Glossy, over 40% of Gen Z men say they spend "most" of their income on grooming, compared to 29% of millennials.

The "Any Step Counts" challenge encourages Strava users to complete a 5K run by July 21, either in one go or accumulated over multiple sessions. Participants who finish before the deadline will receive Dove Men+Care 2-in-1 shampoo and conditioner as a reward.

Strava is no stranger to brand partnerships. In February, it teamed up with energy drink brand Celsius to create running clubs at F1 venues ahead of the Australian Grand Prix. In 2025, the app also partnered with Chipotle for a New Year's resolution-themed fitness challenge. Around the same time, it collaborated with Clif Bar on activations centered on athlete performance.

Agencies involved in this Dove Men+Care campaign include Edelman, Collectively, and Unite. As of Thursday afternoon, the challenge had attracted more than 16,000 participants, which will encourage Strava users to try the products reformulated with Dove Men+Care's Protein Power technology.

Ahead of the World Cup, Dove Men+Care launched its new global platform "Care for Your Skin Like You Care for the Game" to capitalize on the global football fan frenzy. Its hero ad features fans singing the White Stripes' classic stadium anthem "Seven Nation Army." Axe, another male grooming brand under Unilever, also promoted during the World Cup through a TikTok sweepstakes, further underscoring the company's commitment to sports and creator marketing.