«--Previous Post | Blog Index | Next Post--»
Onslaught Indeed, Anyone Else Tired of Dove's 'Real Beauty' Campaign?
Dove has unveiled a new chapter in its ongoing effort to hoodwink the conscientious consumer in need of a new bar of soap. Its "Campaign for Real Beauty," like those of Benetton and The Body Shop before it, has been throwing up gorgeous billboards and television commercials featuring women of all shapes, sizes, and shades for years now. The message? Dove is different from other purveyors of beauty products; Dove cares for your skin as well as your well-being, as expressed by its honest portrayals of beauty in its various forms.
Dove's new marketing strategy is to web-release ads that directly critcize deceptive representations of beauty. This past summer, the viral ad Evolution won a Grand Prix prize at Cannes. The minute-long film featured a woman's face transformed through make-up and digital augmentation to an idealized face on a billboard wholly unlike the original. The spot concluded, "No wonder our perception of beauty is distorted." Its sequel—Onslaught—which hit the web at the beginning of October, opens with a close-up of a guileless young girl, blissfully unaware of the pressure to be "younger, taller, lighter, firmer, tighter, thinner, softer," followed by a fast-forward zoom through the debasing and all-too-prevalent beauty ads to which she will soon aspire. Through this campaign, Dove is taking a stand against such ads. Onslaught closes with this message: "Talk to your daughter before the beauty industry does."
Good advice, if only it wasn't coming from a company owned by Unilever, which also owns Slim-Fast and Axe deodorant, products that are pushed by those very ads that Dove is denouncing.
—Cassie McGettigan
Comments
I have no problem with TV commercials, as I almost never watch TV and tend to be lightning-quick on the mute button anyway.
Billboards have never been more than "background noise for the eyes" to me, and I scarcely notice them.
On the rare occasions I DO watch TV, if a soap or beauty product commercial came on between innings, that would signal the PERFECT time to go for a sandwich and, dare I say it? A BEER!!
Yeah, cause women in the midwest are just so bombarded with Aveda and expensive organic beauty care that make sense of them.
Because when one company within a conglomerate should just peddle the same fantasy crap all the other companies do.
Because unless its managed to reach the same level of extensive all stocks owned by employees, no sweatshop labor, and sustainable development then no progress is progress.
Because it didn't bring the fact that certain places tried to ban it to mass culture.
How about posting an article that highlights people that are doing what you proposed and using this as a fact within that to promote how they could expand their market. Or is progress only progress when made by the 'pure'?
Posted by: Mia Brown on 10/16/07 at 4:29 PM Respond
All commercials/ad campaigns are meant to identify emotionally with people so you buy their products- this is common knowledge.
Knowing this, why complain about these socially sensitive campaigns? Is it better to have commmercials that point out the negative aspects of the media-defined standard of beauty, and how it effects us, or is it preferable to have more liposuctioned, anorexic, boob-jobbed models whose sole purpose is to make women feel bad so they will buy products? It is one or the other- advertising is not going away, and companies will always sell their products, even when they conflict with each other. It seems obvious that a positive message is better than the negative one- regardless of the reason it exists. As long as you watch TV, why not make it as positive as possible? NO matter what content a commercial has, someone will be unhappy!
Posted by: SJW on 10/16/07 at 10:46 PM Respond
For years women have complained that the beauty and cosmetics industries use unrealistic body images to make women feel unattractive.
They are right to complain!
But when a company decides to make an ad campaign that is sensitive to this issue, there are still complaints.
This IS progress, in the real world. I would rather my daughter see no ads, but if she does, I will take this one over most others.
Posted by: Stacey273 on 10/16/07 at 11:02 PM Respond
Nope, not tired yet. Just you. All corporations suck. We get that. Don't bash Dove for being part of the corporate regime. Change has to start somewhere. I appreciate knowing Dove's affiliations, but I'm still not mad over their "provocative" campaign.
Posted by: MarilynJean on 10/17/07 at 12:20 PM Respond
ARCHIVE
August 10, 2008 - August 16, 2008
August 3, 2008 - August 9, 2008
July 27, 2008 - August 2, 2008
April 20, 2008 - April 26, 2008
April 13, 2008 - April 19, 2008
April 6, 2008 - April 12, 2008
March 30, 2008 - April 5, 2008
March 23, 2008 - March 29, 2008
March 16, 2008 - March 22, 2008
March 9, 2008 - March 15, 2008
February 24, 2008 - March 1, 2008
February 17, 2008 - February 23, 2008
February 10, 2008 - February 16, 2008
February 3, 2008 - February 9, 2008
January 27, 2008 - February 2, 2008
January 20, 2008 - January 26, 2008
January 13, 2008 - January 19, 2008
January 6, 2008 - January 12, 2008
December 30, 2007 - January 5, 2008
December 23, 2007 - December 29, 2007
December 16, 2007 - December 22, 2007
RECENT COMMENTS
John McCain Has More Odd Things to Say About Russia/Georgia (1)
Franklin Grimes wrote:
What I like about the Republicans is how they got war's st...
[more]
Partition in Iraq: A Serious Problem With Biden as VP? (28)
Carolyn wrote:
I'm going to have to agree with Danny, 'massimo.' Jest cuz...
[more]
McCain's Bizarre Undiscovered Foreign Policy Ideas (12)
Drunk Philosopher wrote:
To Jim, quote: "The "insightful" Zakaria calls Iran and No...
[more]
The Campaign Goes Christian (3)
Sharon wrote:
Vote for Ralph Nader for real change. Obama is a hypocrite...
[more]
The Rooskies Are Out to Get Us! (6)
Emphyrio wrote:
5. They think it's the state of Georgia where the Atlanta ...
[more]
Troops Abroad Give to Obama 6:1 (2)
Jeugenen wrote:
LIBERAL OBAMA OR NEO-CON/NEO-LIB MC-CAIN
The political st...
[more]
Speedo's $600 Swimsuits: Made in America, Bought by China (45)
Brandon wrote:
Tech has not gone too far. This is simply another geegaw ...
[more]
Why is HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt Blogging About Abortion? (1)
PeaceNick wrote:
I think what Secretary Leavitt and the Bush administration...
[more]
Under for Fire for Pastor's Remarks, Obama To Give Major Speech on Race (11)
Acomplia wrote:
Generic Acomplia is an Anti Obesity Drug that is Best Weig...
[more]
Responding to MoJo, Huckabee Campaign Explains Difference Between Homosexuality and Necrophilia (19)
dış cephe wrote:
teşekürler....
[more]
Movable Type 3.33


Posted by: Guy Point of View on 10/16/07 at 3:17 PM Respond