Dove Men promotes caring, ahead of March Madness

Dove Men+Care has teamed up with a series of of basketball heavyweights on its mission to promote the theme of caring.

The beauty giant has joined forces with former professional players David Robinson and Shane Battier for the NCAA "March Madness" tournament to recreate its "Real Strength Manifesto," in an effort to convey the impact that fans' support can have on performance.

"As an athlete, I have always been impressed by the intimate relationship between the fans and their teams," said Robinson in a statement. "When I was playing during college and as a professional, the fans gave me the energy I needed to support my team and be the best player possible."

"As a brand that is dedicated to highlighting the care that real men show every day, we are proud to partner with the NCAA to bring the Real Strength Manifesto to life," added Nick Soukas, Vice President of Marketing for Dove Men+Care at Unilever. "In fact, Dove Men+Care research shows that 94% of men believe their best experience at sporting events included a sense of camaraderie with other fans in the stands. The impact that positive fan culture has on all men, and the next generation, is significant, because of the way that sports can bring us together."

The campaign, which is being shared on the brand's social media channels, sees Dove Men+Care collaborate with CBS college basketball analyst and sports writer Seth Davis, as well as a host of professionals including Jameer Nelson, Trey Burke, Marques Johnson and Gordon Hayward, to explore inspiring stories from baseball legends about their experiences with fans. The brand has also created a video of touching sporting moments across the globe, titled "Real Winners Care." The resulting ‘manifesto' will be displayed in-stadium during select games in Nashville, Detroit, Dallas and Los Angeles.

The move is the latest effort by Dove Men+Care to open up the conversation regarding male attitudes to everything from fatherhood to the relationship that men have with their self image.