1 - Internationalist

M A R K E T E R
P R O F I L E
media at center
stage
Alan Rutherford, Unilever’s London-based vice
president, global media, talks about media trends,
consumer response and responsible marketing
W
When Unilever’s Alan Rutherford was recently asked by inter national ist Publisher
Deborah Malone how the role of media had changed, he didn’t hesitate: “Media,”
he said, “has moved to the center of the agenda.” He continued: “It is gratifying to
be part of the industry at this time. Managing a discipline that is now at center
stage is great.”
“In talking to Rutherford, one sees how he combines two complementary
aspects of media in all his thinking,” says Malone. “The first is his keen awareness
of the connection between media trends and consumer response. For him, ‘media
reflects the consumer’s world,’ so the consumption of media can provide key
insights into how any Unilever brand message might be best presented and
accepted. The second aspect focuses on how effective marketing for multinationals
today is very much tied to making media innovation center stage, and on a global
level.” Here is more of their conversation.
How does media’s impact on the
lives of consumers affect your brand
marketing? For a company like
Unilever with so many personal care
brands, much of our inspiration today
comes from clear trends set by the
media. For example, a television
program like Pop Idol, with its many
local incarnations around the world,
has demonstrated that the appeal of the
talent search resonates strongly with
consumers. It has certainly influenced
our thinking about brand
communications and how we can
interact with our customers with a
sense of contemporary authenticity.
Of course, today’s extraordinary
fascination with celebrity also
permeates all media, and marketers
must come to understand what this
means for the relevance of their brand.
I’m not suggesting that everything
about the celebrity fad is good. I’m
simply stating that if contemporary
culture drives marketing, then one has
no choice but to understand the
interest in the trend.
What’s an example of that at
Unilever? Our approach to the Dove
“Campaign for Real Beauty” campaign
certainly acknowledges something
about the impact of supermodels or of
celebrity, but it is treated in a way that
is culturally relevant to the brand ethos.
Beauty does not mean “model thin” for
everyone. Any confident woman can be
an individual (or even a celebrity) in
her own right. Of course, the message
furthers the Dove brand values, but we
would also like to think that it furthers
the self esteem of womanhood.
As media and advertising become
increasingly more global, how is
Unilever approaching the
challenges of cross-cultural
branding? In my last seven years at
Unilever, I have seen so many
messages reflect cultural change. We
are now running a campaign around
B Y D E B O R A H M A L O N E
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