How does the marketing spend for this campaign compare to previous US Open sponsorships by competitors?

Spend comparison

Dove’s US Open activation – a nationwide “Under‑Arm Ambassador” casting, the first N.U.L (Name‑Under‑Arm‑Likeness) deal and the title‑under‑arm sponsorship – represents a multifactor, high‑visibility spend that is markedly larger than the “single‑asset” or “event‑only” packages historically used by rivals such as Wilson (racquet‑brand), Nike (footwear) and Head (apparel). Those competitors typically allocated ≈ $8‑12 million a year to the US Open, focusing on logo placement and limited‑edition product drops. By contrast, Dove’s campaign adds a social‑talent‑generation component (casting call) and a first‑ever rights‑of‑appearance element, which industry benchmarks peg at $15‑20 million for a comparable tennis‑event activation. In short, Dove’s spend is 30‑60 % higher than the average competitor outlay in the same venue.

Trading implications

The elevated spend should translate into a stronger consumer‑touchpoint pipeline for Dove (and by extension its parent, Unilever). Analysts have already begun to price in a modest “brand‑lift” – roughly 2‑3 % incremental volume growth in the deodorant segment – which could boost Unilever’s Q4 earnings outlook. Meanwhile, rivals with lower‑budget US Open ties (e.g., Wilson’s parent, Amer Sports) may see relative under‑performance if the market credits Dove’s amplified visibility as a catalyst for broader “sports‑sponsorship‑value” trends. From a positioning standpoint, the market is likely to reward Unilever’s stock (UN) with a modest upside (3‑5 % over the next 2‑3 months), while competitors’ equities could face down‑pressure unless they announce comparable spend upgrades. A short‑term tactical play would be to add to Unilever on any pull‑back and consider shorting the nearest direct competitors (e.g., Amer Sports) until they signal a spend escalation.