Unilever Marketing Strategy: Power Brands Lead 4.8% Growth
Unilever's marketing strategy now centers on its Power Brands after the ice cream demerger. In the first half of 2026, per its July 28, 2026 results, underlying sales grew 4.8%, led by volume at 4.2%, and Power Brands, 78% of turnover, grew 6.0%. Dove, Sunsilk and Vaseline each grew double digits, and Unilever upgraded its 2026 outlook.
Underlying sales growth (USG) is Unilever's sales growth excluding currency, acquisitions and disposals. Power Brands are Unilever's largest brands, which receive most of its marketing investment. Underlying operating margin is operating profit before one-off items as a share of turnover.
What did Unilever report for the first half of 2026?
Unilever reported first-half 2026 turnover of EUR 25.6 billion and underlying sales growth of 4.8% on July 28, 2026, per its results announcement.
Turnover rose only 0.5% against 4.8% underlying growth because currency cut turnover by 4.9% in the half, per the same release. The three business groups in the table sum to EUR 19.3 billion, about 75% of turnover by EPR's calculation, so beauty, personal care and home care now define the company.
How are Unilever's Power Brands performing?
Unilever's Power Brands are performing ahead of the group. They grew 6.0% with 5.4% volume growth in the first half, per the results announcement. Their turnover is about EUR 20 billion by EPR's calculation from the 78% share.
In Beauty and Wellbeing, Dove, Sunsilk and Vaseline each posted double-digit growth, alongside prestige beauty brands, per the same release. Unilever's own summary said Beauty and Wellbeing grew 8.1% in the second quarter, supported by Dove, Sunsilk, Vaseline, K18 and prestige brands, per Unilever's results explainer.
Why it works: Concentrating spend on a few large brands raises the return on each campaign, because one creative idea runs across many markets. Unilever's July 28, 2026 results show the effect: Power Brands, 78% of turnover, grew 6.0% against 4.8% for the group.
What did the ice cream demerger change?
The ice cream demerger turned Unilever into a smaller, more beauty-and-home-care company. Unilever re-presented its 2025 comparatives to reflect the demerger of its Ice Cream Business Group, per the results text, and sold its 61.9% stake in Kwality Wall's (India) to The Magnum Ice Cream Company in April 2026.
The Magnum Ice Cream Company reported first-half 2026 organic sales growth of 4.7% on revenue of EUR 4.7 billion, with Ben & Jerry's up 9.2% in the second quarter, per its July 30, 2026 filing. That is the business Unilever no longer reports.
Separately, Unilever's results summary said the separation of its Foods business with McCormick was on track. It also said Unilever had finished an EUR 800 million productivity program ahead of schedule, raised its quarterly dividend 3% and completed a EUR 1.5 billion share buyback.
What is Unilever's outlook for the rest of 2026?
Unilever expects 2026 underlying sales growth within its multi-year range of 4% to 6%, with about 3% underlying volume growth, per its July 28, 2026 announcement. It expects second-half underlying sales growth of 4% to 5%, led by pricing.
The company also expects a modest improvement in underlying operating margin for 2026 against 20.0% in 2025. EPR's read: Unilever moved from a volume-led first half to a price-led second half, and the margin target depends on shoppers accepting that change.
What risks does Unilever's strategy carry?
Unilever's strategy carries three risks: price-led growth in the second half, currency drag, and a narrower portfolio.
Currency reduced first-half turnover by 4.9%, so reported turnover trails underlying growth by more than four points. A narrower portfolio means fewer categories to offset a weak quarter in beauty or home care. The pricing-led second half will test whether shoppers stay after volume led the first half.
What can brand teams copy from Unilever?
Brand teams can copy three moves from Unilever: concentrate spend on a few large brands, report volume separately from price, and publish a clear outlook range. The table lists the evidence and a check to run first.
Move
Unilever evidence
Check before copying
Concentrate spend on large brands
Power Brands are 78% of turnover and grew 6.0%, per Unilever's results
Whether smaller brands lose support they need
Report volume separately from price
H1: volume 4.2%, price 0.6%, per Unilever's results
Whether volume holds as prices rise
Publish a clear outlook range
2026 underlying sales growth of 4% to 6%, with about 3% volume
Whether you can hit the range in a weak quarter
Why it works: Splitting growth into volume and price lets investors see whether shoppers are buying more or paying more. Unilever's July 28, 2026 release shows 4.2% from volume and 0.6% from price, which makes the quality of the 4.8% visible.
Show investors how much growth comes from volume before you claim a brand is healthy. For a view of how AI answers treat Unilever, see EPR's CPG citation index on Unilever, and for a listed rival's results see EPR's P&G marketing strategy.
What did Unilever report for the first half of 2026?
Unilever reported first-half 2026 turnover of EUR 25.6 billion and underlying sales growth of 4.8% on July 28, 2026, per its results announcement. MeasureH1 2026 resultSource TurnoverEUR 25.6 billion, up 0.5%Unilever results Underlying sales growth4.8%: volume 4.2%, price 0.6%Unilever results Q2 underlying sales growth5.8%, with volume up 5.5% and price up 0.2%Unilever results Power Brands78% of turnover; underlying sales up 6.0% with volume up 5.4%Unilever results Beauty and WellbeingEUR 6.5 billion turnover; underlying sales up 5.9%Unilever results Personal CareEUR 6.8 billion turnover; underlying sales up 4.8%Unilever results Home CareEUR 6.0 billion turnover; underlying sales up 7.6%Unilever Underlying operating margin20.3%, up 10 basis pointsUnilever results Turnover rose only 0.5% against 4.8% underlying growth because currency cut turnover by 4.9% in the half, per the same release. The three business groups in the table sum to EUR 19.3 billion, about 75% of turnover by EPR's cal
How are Unilever's Power Brands performing?
Unilever's Power Brands are performing ahead of the group. They grew 6.0% with 5.4% volume growth in the first half, per the results announcement. Their turnover is about EUR 20 billion by EPR's calculation from the 78% share. In Beauty and Wellbeing, Dove, Sunsilk and Vaseline each posted double-digit growth, alongside prestige beauty brands, per the same release. Unilever's own summary said Beauty and Wellbeing grew 8.1% in the second quarter, supported by Dove, Sunsilk, Vaseline, K18 and prestige brands, per Unilever's results explainer. Dove has long been the anchor of Unilever's brand story. EPR's analysis of Dove, Lush and Airbnb purpose-driven marketing covers the Real Beauty campaign, and EPR's Tatcha profile covers the prestige side. Why it works: Concentrating spend on a few large brands raises the return on each campaign, because one creative idea runs across many markets. Unilever's July 28, 2026 results show the effect: Power Brands, 78% of turnover, grew 6.0% against 4.8%
What did the ice cream demerger change?
The ice cream demerger turned Unilever into a smaller, more beauty-and-home-care company. Unilever re-presented its 2025 comparatives to reflect the demerger of its Ice Cream Business Group, per the results text, and sold its 61.9% stake in Kwality Wall's (India) to The Magnum Ice Cream Company in April 2026. The Magnum Ice Cream Company reported first-half 2026 organic sales growth of 4.7% on revenue of EUR 4.7 billion, with Ben & Jerry's up 9.2% in the second quarter, per its July 30, 2026 filing. That is the business Unilever no longer reports. Separately, Unilever's results summary said the separation of its Foods business with McCormick was on track. It also said Unilever had finished an EUR 800 million productivity program ahead of schedule, raised its quarterly dividend 3% and completed a EUR 1.5 billion share buyback.
What is Unilever's outlook for the rest of 2026?
Unilever expects 2026 underlying sales growth within its multi-year range of 4% to 6%, with about 3% underlying volume growth, per its July 28, 2026 announcement. It expects second-half underlying sales growth of 4% to 5%, led by pricing. The company also expects a modest improvement in underlying operating margin for 2026 against 20.0% in 2025. EPR's read: Unilever moved from a volume-led first half to a price-led second half, and the margin target depends on shoppers accepting that change.
What risks does Unilever's strategy carry?
Unilever's strategy carries three risks: price-led growth in the second half, currency drag, and a narrower portfolio. Currency reduced first-half turnover by 4.9%, so reported turnover trails underlying growth by more than four points. A narrower portfolio means fewer categories to offset a weak quarter in beauty or home care. The pricing-led second half will test whether shoppers stay after volume led the first half.
What can brand teams copy from Unilever?
Brand teams can copy three moves from Unilever: concentrate spend on a few large brands, report volume separately from price, and publish a clear outlook range. The table lists the evidence and a check to run first. MoveUnilever evidenceCheck before copying Concentrate spend on large brandsPower Brands are 78% of turnover and grew 6.0%, per Unilever's resultsWhether smaller brands lose support they need Report volume separately from priceH1: volume 4.2%, price 0.6%, per Unilever's resultsWhether volume holds as prices rise Publish a clear outlook range2026 underlying sales growth of 4% to 6%, with about 3% volumeWhether you can hit the range in a weak quarter Why it works: Splitting growth into volume and price lets investors see whether shoppers are buying more or paying more. Unilever's July 28, 2026 release shows 4.2% from volume and 0.6% from price, which makes the quality of the 4.8% visible. Show investors how much growth comes from volume before you claim a brand is healthy. For
Who is the CEO of Unilever?
Fernando Fernandez is CEO of Unilever, per the company's 2026 first half results.
How fast did Unilever grow in the first half of 2026?
Underlying sales grew 4.8%, with volume up 4.2% and price up 0.6%, per Unilever's results.
What share of Unilever's sales do Power Brands represent?
Power Brands are 78% of turnover and grew 6.0% in the first half, per the results announcement.
What is Unilever's 2026 outlook?
Unilever expects 2026 underlying sales growth within 4% to 6%, with about 3% volume growth, per its results.
Which Unilever brands grew double digits?
Dove, Sunsilk and Vaseline each delivered double-digit growth in Beauty and Wellbeing, per Unilever's results.
What happened to Unilever's ice cream business?
Unilever demerged its ice cream business into The Magnum Ice Cream Company, which reported 4.7% organic growth for the first half of 2026, per its July 30, 2026 filing. Last updated October 10, 2026. How this page was made: EPR drafted it with AI assistance from the named primary sources above, and an editor should verify each figure before publication.
Written by
EPR Editorial Team
The Everything-PR Editorial Team is the staff byline for news, analysis and features on communications, reputation, AI visibility and digital discovery. Everything-PR has published since 2009. AI tools assist with research and drafting, and every article is reviewed by a human editor before publication. Coverage follows the Editorial Policy, and substantive corrections are noted on the article under the Corrections Policy.
