Unilever has revealed the business impact of its UAE mangrove restoration campaign, A Great Deal for Everyone, which drove a 12 per cent uplift in sales for the brand.
The campaign, initially covered by Campaign Middle East in December 2024, sought to address the long-standing value-action gap that has persisted in the industry despite consumers stating that sustainability remains a top priority. Creative agency Impact BBDO, production house Chop Chop, and activation and production agency, Helium Marketing partnered with Unilever on the campaign.
Partnering with LuLu Group, Mastercard, and Emirates Nature-WWF, the initiative linked purchases to real-world impact. It combined promotions, education, digital engagement, as well as the restoration of 6,000 mangroves and more than a hectare of land, offsetting 120,000 kg CO2e over five years.
Brand and business outcomes of the Unilever campaign
Beyond sentiment, the campaign saw strong engagement across digital and in-store touchpoints. The initiative generated 63 million impressions and reached 9.8 million people — 14 per cent above projections. The digital campaigns received 314,000 clicks — 3 per cent above forecast — and a click through rate of 0.64 per cent, which was 16 per cent above forecast.
Video content performed exceptionally well, with 7.1 million views, exceeding forecasts by 70 per cent. Additionally, campaign awareness rose by 7.9 points, significantly outperforming the industry benchmark of 1.1 points.
In terms of in-store and mall engagements, the in-store stands engaged with 4,000 consumers, while the mall activations reached and engaged with 529 consumers, resulting in 259 pledges and 187 competition entries.
The Virgin Radio competition was aired during a prime 5pm slot, reaching an estimated 630,000 listeners. This listenership underscored the strategic importance of the radio component within the brand’s integrated media mix. Although Unilever did not isolate direct attribution (such as call-in volumes or immediate web traffic spikes) from this channel, the qualitative boost in overall brand awareness was significant.
“In an omnichannel campaign, every touchpoint — from radio to digital and in-store experiences — plays a vital role in building a comprehensive narrative and gradually shifting consumer behaviour,” said Shazia Syed, General Manager Personal Care Unilever Pakistan, Turkey, Arabia and Bangladesh and Head of Arabia.
These figures highlighted not only heightened awareness, but also a willingness to engage with sustainability content when it is made relevant and rewarding.
“We are encouraged by these early survey signals, which highlight that consumers respond positively when sustainability is made accessible,” Syed added. “Consumers are looking for brands to take the lead in sustainability, but accessibility remains a challenge. These findings suggest that, alongside improving accessibility, a combination of clear incentives and other supportive measures is needed to influence consumer behavior, laying the groundwork for potential long-term change.”
By integrating consumer engagement with tangible climate action, Unilever demonstrated how brands can scale sustainability efforts using the power of marketing. Unilever’s mangrove restoration initiative was part of a broader commitment to environmental stewardship.
“With this campaign, we’ve taken an important first step toward fostering long-term behavioural change,” added Syed. “Through innovation and partnerships, we aim to turn sustainable choices into second nature for consumers.”
Unilever’s initiative reinforces that purpose-driven campaigns can drive both commercial success and measurable climate action — demonstrating the power of brands to influence meaningful change.
“One of the biggest challenges in sustainability marketing is measuring behavioral shifts, not just transactions. Sales spikes and engagement metrics tell a partial story, but the real impact of campaigns like these is seen over months and years, not days and weeks.” Syed said.
“Unilever’s top 13 purpose-led brands, including Dove and Lifebuoy, have consistently demonstrated that sustained commitment — not one-off campaigns — is what drives long-term change. If we, as an industry, want to truly move the needle on sustainability, we need to evolve our measurement frameworks to go beyond sales and clicks. Are we changing mindsets? Are we building habits? Are we making sustainability the default choice? These are the questions we need to answer in the long run,” Syed added.
Integrated campaign rollout and post-campaign study
In mall advertising: From November 21 to December 15, Unilever products such as Dove, Jif, and Comfort were on promotion at LuLu outlets across Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Al Ain, as well as on LuLu’s ecommerce platform. Shoppers were made aware of the campaign through visuals at every turn, from pop-up banners and floor stickers to shelf tags and checkout displays.
Radio spots: To amplify awareness, Unilever partnered with Virgin Radio for a five-day competition that offered AED 5,000 in cash and daily prizes worth AED 1,000.
Digital and social media marketing: Unilever extended its message online with a targeted ad campaign on Instagram and TikTok, running concurrently with in-store promotions. Consumers were encouraged to scan a QR code that led them to a microsite where they could learn more about mangroves and enter a themed competition.
On-site, in-person activations: A three-day activation at LuLu Barsha–1 Hypermarket (November 22–24) brought the campaign to life, , where visitors learned about the mangrove ecosystems and participated in a competition to win an educational trip to explore them.
A Unilever commissioned post-campaign study by Kantar among 883 UAE consumers reinforced consumer willingness to support sustainable brands.
The research revealed that while 67 per cent of shoppers agreed the campaign will help them make more sustainable choices in the future, it also revealed a 6 per cent uplift in consumers prepared to invest their time and money in companies that prioritise doing good.
Meanwhile, 65 per cent felt it empowered them to contribute to protecting the environment.
