Dove Love Your Body Campaign - Truthful, or a Marketing Strategy?

Dove is a company known for their beauty products, including body wash, lotion and deodorant specifically targeted for both women and young girls. Recently, Dove launched a huge campaign that has received many reviews, both positive and negative.

In the "Real Beauty" video by Dove, several women were asked to describe their physcial appearance to a forensic artist. They have to give details on their specific facial features, and in the video you hear the women critiquing themselves including:

 "I have a big jaw."

"I would say I have a pretty big forehead."

"My chin kind of protrudes a little bit, especially when I smile."

Before the women are sketched by the forensic artist, they socialize with a complete stranger. The stranger is then asked to describe the woman they just met for another drawing to be made. The two sketches are then compared side-by-side.

The results?

The sketch described by the stranger was much more beautiful than the sketch when the women described themselves. Dove ends this with, "You are much more beautiful than you think."

Why the criticism?

Why is this beautiful and touching campaign coming under some harsh criticism?  From my research, many consumers believe this is just another marketing strategy by Dove to sell products to women. They believe Dove is purposely tugging on women's insecurities to sell product. What makes it worse, Dove is also owned by the same company that owns Axe Men's Body Spray, and their commercials are certainly always pertaining to women's looks and sex appeal.

My Thoughts

I believe this is a particularly touching and emotional video. I think it really digs in and shows the raw emotion of the women as they openly describe what they believe are their imperfections. Marketing ploy or not, I believe it speaks volumes.

I think women and girls subject themselves to what they think society believes the"perfect woman" looks like, even though we know there is no such thing. When watching this video, I put myself in the women's shoes.

If I were asked to describe my features to a stranger, what would I say?

Would I focus on my flaws?

Would I say what I believed was truthful?

To be completely honest, I am not sure how I would describe myself. Regardless of this video's intent, I think it's a real eye opener to see how critical women can be of their own appearance.

If grown women don't know that they are beautiful, then what message are we sending to our daughters and younger girls?