Dove Campaign for Real Beauty
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The Dove Campaign for Real Beauty is a worldwide marketing campaign launched in 2004 that includes advertisements, video, workshops, sleepover events and even the publication of a book and the production of a play[1] The principle behind the campaign is to celebrate the natural physical variation embodied by all women and inspire them to have the confidence to be comfortable with themselves.[2] A similar ad campaign was launched in the United States and Canada shortly afterward[citation needed]. Dove's partners in the effort include such marketing and communications agencies as Ogilvy & Mather, Edelman Public Relations, 58Ninety, and Harbinger Communications (in Canada).[3]
The launch campaign featured normal women of different shapes and sizes recruited in a number of ways; one was approached in the street, another answered an ad which was placed in a local South London newspaper.
The campaign was shot by the British portrait/fashion photographer Rankin[4] who has made a career out of subverting fashion photography and who has also produced several books featuring ordinary-looking people.
Ogilvy's London office chose Rankin because he brings out the character and personality of his subjects and he likes working with non-professional models. Dove wanted to celebrate women by using a photographer who also shoots supermodels, giving them the same star treatment. Rankin shot the follow up campaign for Dove as well.
One billboard in the series asked viewers to phone 1-888-342-DOVE to vote on whether a woman on the billboard was "fat" or "fab". The results were posted real-time on the board. While a photo in the October 25, 2004 issue of Marketing Magazine shows "fab" leading 51% to 49%, eventually the percentage of "fat" votes overtook "fab", much to the chagrin of marketers.
This campaign has also spurred on a phenomenon whereby attractive women with bodies that better reflect 95% of the female population are referred to as Dove Mediocrities.
As part of this campaign, in 2006, Dove started the Dove Self-Esteem Fund that claims to change the Western concept of beauty from ultra-thin models with perfect features to making every girl (and woman) feel positive about her looks, no matter what they are. In an effort to promote the Fund, Dove ordered a series of highly-successful online-based short films promoting the self-esteem concept, which to date includes Daughters (which also aired as a 75-second television spot suring the Super Bowl XL), Evolution (which went on to win a number of honours, including two Cannes Lions Grand Prix awards)[3], Onslaught, and Amy.
The campaign has been criticized on the grounds that Unilever also produces Fair and Lovely, a skin-lightening product marketed at dark-skinned women in several countries. [1]
[edit] References
- ^ Financial Post: "Dove's real women fly on stage" by Hollie Shaw, May 8, 2008, accessed May 20, 2008
- ^ Why the Campaign for Real Beauty?, accessed May 20, 2008
- ^ a b http://www.campaignforrealbeauty.ca/flat2.asp?id=7310 Dove Evolution Viral Film Wins Film Grand Prix at Cannes Advertising Awards] June 23, 2007 press release.
- ^ Street Cents: "Behind the Hype: Dove’s Real Beauty Campaign" Season 5 Episode 2, page accessed May 20, 2008
[edit] External links
Official Sites
- UK ad campaign site
- USA ad campaign site
- Canadian ad campaign site
- Dove Self-Esteem Fund
- Dove Reality Diaries
Note: All of these sites require Macromedia Flash
Supplement
Reviews
