Campaign For Real Beauty!!

Here's a take on a different purpose of writing :)

Beauty for long had been defined by a narrow, stifling stereotype. Dove’s global campaign for “Real Beauty” brings in a fresh facet.

The campaign launched in 2004 by Unilever, focuses on beauty in different shapes, sizes, ages and communities. It encourages women be comfortable with and confident of their appearance, as they are. Dove, just offers a product that would in no way alter one’s natural self but would be a highlighter, just like a piece of jewelry.

It all began with a market survey, which indicated that only 4% of women consider themselves beautiful, post which marketing agency, Ogilvy & Mather (Brazil), came up with this campaign. The campaign began with billboard advertisements in Britain and thereafter spreading across the globe in the form of videos, sleepover events, workshops, publication of a book, and production of a play. However the most courageous step was taken recently, in the form of a scientific experiment. “The Real Beauty Sketches Campaign”, in mid-April, 2013. An FBI trained forensic artist, Gil Zamora, created two sketches each of seven different women, all from different ages and backgrounds. One of the sketch was based on how the woman herself described her appearance and the second was based on other’s description of the lady. In every case, the second sketch left every respective woman flabbergasted. It was proved that others perceive you as more beautiful than what you would rate yourself, the tagline of the campaign being, "You are more beautiful than you think." 

What’s really refreshing is that Unilever, which itself uses ads that show women as flirty hawks to sell its’ products like Axe, has brought up this new dimension of advertising altogether. This campaign has hit at the remaining 96% of the female population who were skeptical of their beauty. It associates with the masses not as solution to their problems but as an entirely new viewpoint.

The results so far have been great with Dove already being placed as premier brand in the market, for which customers are willing to shell extra bucks. The campaign, having been launched worldwide, has also given the brand a global recognition. What remains to be seen is that how long does this formula of being “just you” works, and what shall be the next step that Unilever takes.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=litXW91UauE