Unilever Concentrated Marketing on 30 Global Brands
The company directed 16.1% of its revenue toward top-tier brands during the first half of 2026.
Updated on Oct. 1, 2026 in Advertising
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Unilever focused its marketing resources on 30 Power Brands during the first half of 2026 to drive volume growth. These core brands, which account for 78% of the company's total revenue, experienced 6% underlying sales growth during the period.
Why it matters
Management aimed to concentrate innovation and advertising efforts on high-potential brands while optimizing or reducing support for secondary products. This strategy is designed to minimize resource fragmentation and capitalize on brands with established international presence.
Unilever reported revenue of €25.623 billion for the first half of 2026, with approximately €4.125 billion allocated to marketing. Power Brands saw underlying sales growth of 6.9% during the second quarter alone.
The players
Unilever
This is a multinational consumer goods company that produces a wide range of personal care, food, and refreshment products.
Dove
This is a prominent personal care brand under the Unilever portfolio that saw approximately 9% sales growth.
Rexona
This is an antiperspirant and deodorant brand owned by Unilever that may face future price adjustments.
Hellmanns
This is a global brand specializing in mayonnaise and condiments that is subject to anticipated price increases.
The details
The firm activated campaigns across 120 markets during the 2026 World Cup, engaging 50,000 content creators to promote more than 35 brands. Emerging markets were a significant contributor to this performance, posting underlying growth of 8.3% during the second quarter.
Timeline
Unilever recorded its strongest quarterly volume growth since 2010.
Marketing investment levels were compared against the first half of 2025.
The reported revenue and marketing investment covers January to June 2026.
Power Brands accelerated to 6.9% underlying sales growth in the second quarter of 2026.
World Cup campaigns were activated in 120 markets throughout the 2026 tournament.
Market Landscape
This strategic consolidation mirrors efforts to prioritize high-growth assets to compete in a saturated global consumer goods market. The move positions Unilever to defend its market share against rivals by leveraging the scale of its 30 strongest global brands.
Consumers may notice further price increases for staple products like Dove, Rexona, and Hellmanns due to rising raw material costs. Shoppers can expect Unilever to concentrate its promotional activity and innovation efforts heavily on these primary brands in the coming months.
The takeaway
Unilever is betting that a leaner, more focused brand portfolio will drive sustainable growth in volatile emerging markets. By concentrating ad spend, the company aims to turn its most recognizable products into essential fixtures in global households.
Further reading
For more on industry marketing shifts, explore our Advertising section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Merca2.0 Magazine.
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