My Mommyology

Learning from Motherhood.

My Mommyology Likes: Dove’s Campaign for Real Beauty

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My Mommyology Dove Campaign For Real Beauty

I personally know this girl / model! (Yes, my claim to fame).

Six years ago (Has it been that long?!) I was a part of the team that launched this campaign.  It entailed a lot of sleepless nights, and probably 16-hour work days, but I’d have to say it was one campaign that I truly believed in and was happy to be a part of.

I loved the idea of a beauty debate and a beauty discussion.  I felt exactly the way the premise of the campaign was built on:  Beauty comes in all shapes, ages, colors, sizes and forms, and for as long as you take care of yourself (or your skin) then you are definitely beautiful in your own right (Sorry Dove Team, I know it’s paraphrased!  It’s as I remember it).  Don’t mistake this campaign for inner beauty — it’s definitely not.  No one is debating that.  And still, at the core of it all, Dove is a beauty product trying to turn a profit.

One of my favorite ads for the campaign is called Evolution.  I think it even won several awards, although I don’t recall it being played in Manila.

I could nor would ever look like the models in the beauty ads, and while I know those are supposed to paint a nice rosy perfect picture that people could aspire to, it was also slightly depressing.  Wouldn’t you agree?

The other part of the campaign (That was slated to be launched later on, but I think I had already left) was the Dove Self-Esteem Fund.  At the time, it felt like a far off concept to me, but now I’d have to say, that having two girls, it actually hits home a little harder.  I definitely would not want my girls to fall into the statistics of feeling inadequate because they cannot measure up to the impossible beauty standards  that they’re exposed to on a daily basis!

Hopefully the DSEF has made much of an impact globally over the last six years.  I have recently decided to keep track of its “progress”, and I would in fact love to hear from friends with girls in school that they have heard of the campaign or participated in one of its activities.

I guess all the more as parents of little women, it is important for us to remind our girls that they don’t need to alter their natural beauty.  They simply have to care for it as best as they can (Well actually, Dove does have good products, so the campaign works well with it since you know you can rely on the brand to deliver on its promise!)

Author: mymommyology

I am the mom that I am because of my two wonderful little girls. They teach me everyday.

2 Comments

  1. Hi MM! I actually wrote the copy for the print ad above, and the others in the Asian DCFRB campaign.

    I was just researching some Dove stuff and came across your site — so happy to see my ad still alive somewhere. I was writing while at Ogilvy in Hong Kong — C Monge, the Regional CD specially requested my to write this. Did you meet him or know him? Just curious how you were involved?

    Anyway, I since got married and moved back to Toronto now, but I’m also curious about the girl in the picture since I see her every time I show my portfolio — what can you tell me about her?
    Thanks! Barry

    • Hi Barry! Congratulations on such a lasting and game-changing campaign! Once upon a time I was the Brand Manager for Dove in the Philippines. I don’t think I ever met C Monge (as I was more in touch with the local Ogilvy team).

      The girl in the picture (during my days) was a Unilever employee – a Filipina. I am not sure if she’s still connected with the company or where she is based at the moment though.

      Thanks for dropping in!

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