The 5 Shocking Secrets Behind Dove's Viral 'My Neck, My Back' Commercial (2025 Update)

The Dove commercial featuring a re-worked version of the explicit 2000s hit "My Neck, My Back (Lick It)" by Khia has become one of the most talked-about advertisements of early 2025. This bold marketing move for the new Dove Whole Body Deodorant line has sparked widespread discussion, blending the brand's traditional focus on body positivity with a decidedly edgy, modern, and controversial musical choice. The campaign, officially titled "Let Your Body Body," aims to redefine the deodorant market by promoting all-over odor control, explicitly referencing areas like the neck and back, and leveraging the shock value of a famously raunchy hip-hop track to capture the attention of a new generation.

Launched in January 2025, the ad quickly went viral, not just for the product it promotes—a new line of whole-body deodorants—but for its audacious soundtrack. The commercial features a custom, sanitized track by the American rapper, singer, and producer Chika, transforming Khia's original R-rated lyrics into a body-positive anthem for the modern era. This strategy is a significant departure from the brand’s previous, more subdued "Campaign for Real Beauty," signaling a new, more provocative direction in Dove’s advertising efforts.

Featured Artist Profile: Jane Chika Oranika (Chika)

The success and cultural impact of the "My Neck, My Back" commercial are intrinsically linked to the featured artist who re-recorded the track: Chika. Her involvement provides the campaign with a fresh, authentic, and contemporary voice that resonates with the target demographic.

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• Full Name: Jane Chika Oranika
• Known As: CHIKA (often stylized in all caps)
• Date of Birth: March 9, 1997
• Age: 28 (as of 2025)
• Hometown: Montgomery, Alabama, U.S.
• Primary Occupations: Rapper, Singer, Poet, Actress, and Producer
• Career Highlights: Chika first gained significant attention in 2018 for a viral freestyle rap over Kanye West's "Jesus Walks" beat, which criticized the rapper's political views. She has since been nominated for a Grammy Award and is celebrated for her powerful lyrics and body-positive stance, aligning perfectly with Dove's core brand values.
• Role in Dove Campaign: Chika is credited as the artist, actress, and producer of the custom track for the "Let Your Body Body" campaign, reimagining Khia's song for a new generation.

The Controversy: Flipping an Explicit 2000s Anthem

The decision by Dove and its creative agency, Ogilvy, to use Khia’s "My Neck, My Back (Lick It)" as the foundation for a deodorant commercial is the single biggest reason the campaign became a cultural phenomenon.

The Original Song's Legacy

Released in 2002, "My Neck, My Back (Lick It)" is infamous for its explicit and unashamedly sexual lyrics. The song, a major hit for the rapper Khia, is known for its bold, empowering, yet highly raunchy content. For a brand like Dove, which has historically cultivated a reputation for purity and gentle, family-friendly advertising, the association was a calculated risk that paid off in massive exposure.

The Sanitized, Body-Positive Flip

The genius of the "Let Your Body Body" campaign lies in its creative re-interpretation. The R-rated track was flipped into a G-rated, body-care anthem. Chika’s version retains the infectious beat and memorable cadence of the original but changes the controversial lyrics to focus on the product's function: whole-body odor control.

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The new lyrics reference using the deodorant on areas like the neck and back, highlighting the product's 72-hour odor control and skin-care benefits for "your neck, your back… and everywhere else." This bold move generated immediate buzz, with many Millennials and Gen X viewers expressing shock, humor, and admiration for the brand's audacity on social media platforms like Reddit.

The 'Let Your Body Body' Campaign and Product Innovation

The "My Neck, My Back" ad is the centerpiece of the larger "Let Your Body Body" campaign, designed to launch Dove's innovative product line: Dove Whole Body Deodorant.

The Whole Body Deodorant Concept

This new product line, owned by the global consumer goods giant Unilever, challenges the traditional notion that deodorant is solely for the underarms. The campaign positions the product as a solution for body odor in non-traditional areas, a concept that is gaining traction in the personal care industry. By explicitly targeting the "neck, back, and everywhere else," Dove is attempting to normalize and de-stigmatize body odor in a way that aligns with its long-standing mission of promoting self-acceptance and real beauty.

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Key Campaign Entities and Collaborations

To maximize the campaign's reach and topical authority, Dove strategically partnered with several high-profile entities:

• Royal Family Dance Crew: The campaign features a video with the iconic New Zealand-based dance crew, known for their powerful, synchronized choreography. Their involvement further cements the ad's connection to contemporary youth culture and dynamic self-expression, aligning "My Neck, My Back" with movement and confidence.
• "Hot Seats" Concert Campaign: Following the initial ad launch, Dove rolled out a related promotion offering "Hot Seats" at popular 2025 concerts, including Charli XCX's sold-out tour. This ties the deodorant's odor-control benefits directly to high-energy, high-sweat social situations like music festivals, emphasizing confidence in any scenario.
• Dove Men+Care: The whole-body deodorant concept was also extended to the male audience, with a separate campaign featuring NFL legend Marshawn Lynch to promote the Dove Men+Care Whole Body Deo line, ensuring the product's versatility across all demographics.

The Impact: Dove's New Era of Bold Marketing

The "My Neck, My Back" commercial represents a pivotal moment for the Dove brand. While the brand built its equity on the emotionally resonant "Campaign for Real Beauty," this new campaign demonstrates a willingness to embrace humor, edginess, and cultural meme-level virality.

By taking an R-rated song and turning it into an empowering, yet humorous, jingle for a new product, Dove successfully generated massive media attention and social buzz. The campaign proves that modern advertising for personal care products can be both provocative and purpose-driven, normalizing body odor concerns with a wink and a nod to a nostalgic, yet controversial, 2000s hit. The collaboration with Chika and the Royal Family Dance Crew ensures the message of body confidence and self-expression is delivered with maximum impact to the next generation of consumers.