Dove has rolled out yet another marketing campaign, and it follows a familiar and, frankly, questionable strategy: placing women in uncomfortable situations that highlight their insecurities, only to criticize them for feeling that way—all while filming the entire process.
I may be in the minority, but I’m not a fan of Dove’s latest #ChooseBeautiful campaign. Sorry, but showcasing women’s vulnerabilities under a spotlight to sell beauty products feels superficial and disingenuous. It doesn’t do much to support women at all.
The Experiment
The so-called “experiment” consisted of two entrances to a building, each marked with a sign—one reading “AVERAGE” and the other “BEAUTIFUL.” Hidden cameras captured various women’s reactions as they decided which door to walk through. One woman even questioned, “Am I choosing based on societal pressures? Or is this truly what I believe?” Honestly, we can all guess the answer: it’s the former. We are constantly bombarded with images and standards that make us doubt our worth.
The campaign implies that women should be able to rise above these societal pressures and label themselves as “beautiful.” But how is this empowering? In fact, one woman was so uneasy about the whole scenario that she opted to walk away entirely. Imagine if this was a government building she was trying to enter! Maybe she had an important appointment, but instead, she was left feeling bewildered by this strange social experiment.
A Serious Chat
Dove, we need to have a serious chat. Yes, I’m teary-eyed after watching it, but it’s not because of some newfound empowerment. It’s due to the relentless scrutiny and pressure we face to appear unaffected by it all.
The ad concludes with, “Beautiful is a great word. So why not see what’s on the other side of that?” But why not celebrate other incredible qualities like strong, smart, or compassionate? I can guarantee that if those were the labels on the doors, women would walk through without hesitation.
Time for Change
While Dove has made strides in promoting diverse representations of beauty, it’s time to stop leveraging women’s insecurities—many of which are perpetuated by advertising itself—to sell products. We deserve better than being treated like lab rats in a maze.
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Conclusion
In summary, Dove’s latest campaign attempts to address women’s self-esteem but ultimately perpetuates the very insecurities it claims to challenge. Let’s focus on uplifting and empowering women without the need for uncomfortable experiments.