Dove Evolution

Client: Unilever / Agency: Ogilvy & Mather 
This is Ogilvy & Mather’s classic Dove Evolution ad that created so much noise in the advertising industry back in 2006, for their campaign for real beauty. I even remember studying it as a case study in Advertising class. What was all the hype about? This ad was deemed as genious and surely got all the attention that it deserved. Why? For the first time, advertising decided to reveal why our perception on beauty was so distorted. And this message was welcomed as refreshing and inspirational both from consumers and from the ad people.

Though Dove was aiming to promote through this ad their fund for self-esteem, this ad also coincided with the launch of its new product line. Living in a material society where everything is based on looks, it would only be natural if Dove followed in the trail of other beauty products in the industry and advertised yet another brand that will make you look prettier, and resolve all your self-esteem problems. But most of the time, beauty sells a fantasy that is not attainable. That’s how companies make money so you keep buying their products until you’ve satisfied – which we all know will not happen. Consequently, it creates further damage on our society, especially in younger girls who look up more than ever to hot stars and celebrities with perfect bodies, perfect shape, and perfect skin. When these girls are unable to achieve the look from their role model, it creates image problems, low self-esteem, and depression. The beauty products we sell do not help to decrease the very real problem in our society, but only fuels it deeper.

When Dove had to advertise its new product line, it could have chosen the angle we all expected to: a pretty model, all smiles, holding Dove in her hands and telling us how it changed her life. But no, Dove chose another path and revolutioned both the advertising and the beauty industry alike. It chose a path that no one chose before, and it proved to be a highly effective strategy in doing so. In a world where advertising can be deceitful, this holds to be the primary insight in which Dove’s campaign revolves around. In its campaign, Dove decided to expose the advertising industry, to show the truth and the behind the scenes. Advertising can be deceiving and let’s face it, 99% of all the beautiful models you see in magazines are being retouched on the computer. What you see is not real. What you see is not real beauty. Dove Campaign for Real Beauty – was born.

Society needed a change, Dove delivered.