Sports Legend John McEnroe Rallies Men to Overcome Irritation at the 2013 ING New York City Marathon

ENGLEWOOD CLIFFS, N.J., Aug. 12, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- John McEnroe, an athlete who knows something about irritation, will coach a team of real men as they run the 2013 ING New York City Marathon. McEnroe will offer these men the guidance they need to become mentally and physically prepared for their run and will see them through to the finish line. Running – and life – may come with everyday irritations, but Dove^® Men+Care^® believes deodorant should not be one of them.

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To put their products to the test, Dove^® Men+Care^® Deodorant is offering five men the chance to join their marathon team through a nationwide contest. Two slots will be awarded to runners not previously offered entry to this highly coveted race, while the other three contest winners currently hold existing ING New York City Marathon slots.

McEnroe, whose history of irritation is well-documented, is also offering anti-irritation tips to men everywhere through a humorous video series. The videos bring everyday running irritations to life – from navigating the water station to handling distractions on the road – while John McEnroe provides solutions in a relatable and entertaining way. To learn more about the contest or see the videos go to www.dovemencare.com.

"I know a thing or two about irritation and I am giving these guys tips so they can make it to the final mile without any distractions," says McEnroe.

As the official antiperspirant and deodorant of the 2013 ING New York City Marathon, Dove^® Men+Care^® Deodorant hopes to spotlight the difference effective underarm care can make. Two-thirds of U.S. men turn to athletics, such as running, to help alleviate emotional life irritations¹; but, physical irritation remains an issue. Approximately 56 million U.S. men currently experience underarm irritation and research shows many men are likely to have that irritation at the forefront of their minds during important life moments.²

"We want to help men end every day underarm irritation," says Matthew McCarthy, Senior Director of Deodorants/Antiperspirants, Unilever. "Dove^® Men+Care^® Deodorant is excited to partner with John McEnroe and the ING New York City Marathon to show men they can fight underarm discomfort by providing real care with our clinically proven non-irritant products."

Dove^® Men+Care^® Antiperspirants/Deodorants help provide 48 hour odor and wetness protection in a non-irritating formula with ¼ moisturizer technology. The full Dove^® Men+Care^® range provides superior grooming maintenance with face, skin, underarm and hair care products designed specifically for men.

Residents of the fifty U.S. states and D.C. are encouraged to enter to join the Dove^® Men+Care^® marathon team. Men can learn more online about the contest and full line of products by visiting www.dovemencare.com, DOVE^® MEN+CARE^® on Facebook (Facebook.com/DoveMenCareUS) or following DOVE^® MEN+CARE^® on Twitter (@DoveMenCare).

About Dove
Dove, manufactured by Unilever, is the No. 1 personal wash brand nationwide.  One in every three households uses a Dove product, which includes beauty bars, body washes, face care, anti-perspirant/deodorants, body mists, hair care and styling aids. Dove^® Men+Care® is the newest range of products from Dove, developed specially for men. Dove is available nationwide in food, drug and mass outlet stores.

About Unilever North America
Unilever is one of the world's leading suppliers of Food, Home and Personal Care products with sales in over 190 countries. Our products are present in 7 out of 10 homes globally and are used by over 2 billion people on a daily basis. In the United States and Canada the portfolio includes brand icons such as: Axe, Becel, Ben & Jerry's, Bertolli, Breyers, Caress, Clear Scalp & Hair Therapy, Consort For Men, Country Crock, Degree, Dove personal care products, Good Humor, Hellmann's, I Can't Believe It's Not Butter!, Just for Me!, Klondike, Knorr, Lever 2000, Lipton, Magnum, Motions, Nexxus, Noxzema, Pond's, Popsicle, Promise, Q-tips, Ragu, Simple, Slim-Fast, Soft & Beautiful, St. Ives, Suave, tcb, TIGI, TRESemmé, Vaseline, and Wish-Bone. All of the preceding brand names are trademarks or registered trademarks of the Unilever Group of Companies.

Our ambition is to double the size of our business, whilst reducing our overall environmental footprint (including sourcing, consumer use and disposal) and increasing our positive social impact. We are committed to helping more than a billion people take action to improve their health and well-being, sourcing all our agricultural raw materials sustainably by 2020, and decoupling our growth from our environmental impact. Supporting our three big goals are more than 50 time-based targets. See more on the Unilever Sustainable Living Plan at http://www.unileverusa.com/sustainable-living/ or http://www.unilever.ca/sustainable-living/.

Unilever employs more than 12,000 people across North America – generating over $10 billion in sales in 2012. For more information visit www.unileverusa.com or www.unilever.ca.

About the ING New York City Marathon

NYRR's premier event, the ING New York City Marathon, is the most loved and most inclusive marathon in the world, attracting elite athletes and recreational runners alike for the challenge and thrill of a lifetime. The race has grown tremendously since it began in 1970 with just 127 runners racing four laps of Central Park. Now, some 48,000 participants from all over the globe flock to New York City every November for an adrenaline-filled road tour of all five boroughs, starting on Staten Island at the foot of the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge and ending in Central Park. Some run for prize money or bragging rights, others for charity or their personal best. All are cheered on by more than two million live spectators and a TV audience of 330 million.

¹ Ebiquity Research Report, Men's Personal Brand Survey (2013)

² Ebiquity Research Report, Men's Personal Brand Survey (2013)

Contact:

Annette Reichel/Edelman
212-704-8227
[email protected]

Stacie Bright/Unilever
[email protected]

SOURCE Dove(R) Men+Care(R); Unilever