Challenging Beauty Standards: Dove’s Empowering Campaign
Dove Real Beauty
Dove has received both positive and negative responses to their Real Beauty campaign. Many have questioned the company’s motives in creating such an effective and well-known initiative.
They didn’t push a specific diet or workout plan on their audience, instead they focused on empathy. This was a very smart move.
The Message
Dove used social media to generate energy around their campaign and reach a wide audience. Its Real Beauty Sketches video was one of the earliest viral videos and is still among the most-watched ads on YouTube.
Its participants were average women from all over the world, allowing the audience to easily relate to them. This was a clever move because it utilizes in-group bias, where individuals seek out belonging within their group and behave similarly to its members (Tajfel, 1981).
Dove also took on gender stereotypes by featuring a variety of body types, not just skinny models. This was a bold statement against the thin ideal and encouraged women to appreciate their bodies for what they are. However, many have pointed out that this message conflicts with the marketing of Fair & Lovely, a toiletry brand owned by Dove’s parent company Unilever, which promotes whitening products for darker skin tones. This is a clear conflict of Dove’s mission and should be avoided.
The Audience
Dove Real Beauty targets female audiences with its message of body positivity. This is a bold stance for a brand that focuses on skincare and cosmetic products. As a result, the campaign has elicited reactions ranging from positive to critical.
The campaign’s online short films that address beauty standards have been recognized with numerous awards. The videos depict the experiences of women with different backgrounds, ages and careers. This helps the audience to understand that the stereotypes of beauty are not universal and that each individual has her own unique perspective.
Other campaigns like the Dove Real Beauty Sketches show that the company’s focus on empowering women extends to more than just its product offerings. For instance, the company has created a portal to educate young people on body confidence and positive self-esteem. This is a major extension of its message that is likely to have a lasting impact on its target audience. The campaign has also led to increased customer loyalty and increased sales of Dove products.
The Strategy
For a campaign video to be successful, it must reach a large group of people who are likely to view and share it. Dove’s Real beauty sketched video was widely viewed and shared across multiple platforms including social media, blogs and tv shows. This wide exposure allowed the audience to see and hear the message of Dove’s campaign, which in turn led to more awareness and familiarity with the brand. According to the mere exposure effect (Zajonc, 1968), this increased visibility and awareness of Dove’s products caused them to be perceived as alluring and desirable thus increasing sales.
Another reason Dove’s campaign was successful is because it targeted women from all backgrounds, ages and ethnicities worldwide. This meant that the majority of women could relate to and identify with the women portrayed in the campaign, which made them more likely to sympathize with the message and become persuaded by it. The use of real people in Dove’s marketing also made the company more recognizable and trustworthy, which may have helped it to overcome in-group bias among the target audience.
The Impact
Dove’s campaign for real beauty radically widened the definition of beauty and created a new paradigm that celebrates all bodies. It was also unique in that it was based on a common product line of soap and body wash, rather than makeup or other specialty products. This made it possible for people to vote for the new definition of beauty by purchasing a product they needed anyway.
The campaign was a success, and many women reported a boost in self-esteem as a result of it. Dove has since continued to push forward with their efforts to highlight diversity and inclusivity in marketing, such as their recent campaign called #showus where they invited media and advertisers to use photos of women and non-binary models for their campaigns.
While Dove did make some creative flops in the early stages of its campaign, it has remained a leading force in challenging stereotypes and building a stronger sense of self for female consumers. Its bold creative and powerful message have set a precedent for beauty campaigns that are more than just pretty faces or flawless skin.