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 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.

Image:050801 arc doveAdGroup ex.jpg

The United States ad

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 Beauties.

Recent Canadian public opinion polls show that 67% of viewers find the campaign taboo with 8 out of 10 males in the 28-45 age demographic finding the television ads offensive. The campaign also frequently draws fire from online bloggers. In October of 2005, the FCC has reported several thousand complaints from viewers, however no action has been made. Equally, many groups endorse the campaign, and media experts broadly consider it successful.

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]