Above is a Dove “film,” in which in a little over a minute exposes the meaning of beauty as deemed by society. One blink and a whole division of “beauty” will be missed. Although I am thoroughly amazed by this commercial, I cannot get over the hypocrisy of it all. For those who are not aware, Dove is a brand of the company known was Unilever. Other familiar personal “care” brands of Unilever are Axe and Slim-Fast.
How can a company have a brand that supports “inner-beauty” distribute products that use over-sexualized women as a means of advertisement?
This form of advertisement is exactly what is fostering that little red-head’s definition of beauty.
Further, how can Unilever discriminate the ads used in its commercial for supplements and pills when it markets it’s very own weight-loss product.
Some may say that Dove cannot control what Unilever does, seeing as it is the parent company. Even so, can Dove still claim to be moral? But then again, what does morality have anything to do with capitalism? When I first watched this commercial I was in awe. I could not believe in a single minute I viewed “beauty” become enhanced, improved, impaired and then mutilated throughout its years of development. I thought Dove was amazing for bringing this problem to attention and promoting self-esteem programs, then it hit me. This commercial is nothing but a marketing idea to increase sales. Yes, the Campaign for Real Beauty may have influenced a few girls life’s but in all honesty, if a mother in high-waisted jeans were to sit down and talk to her daughter, absolutely nothing will be accomplished except one thing. What will be accomplished? Think about it. What will both parties remember? Dove. They will remember the name Dove, in which case the commercial achieved what it set out to do. Personally, I find using something has susceptible, as self-esteem, to markets one’s product revolting. Yet it is the society in which we live.
Pretty cool video. But I do agree that its kinda ironic that in order for dove to persuade the female society about inner beauty they must show all the temptations that everyday woman go through. Its almost like its beneficial to us to see the bad things about how excessive some people might go to look perfect because then we know what is good and what is bad. But truly as human we do not know what is truly good or bad but we assume anyways. The dove dove commercial isn’t really hypocritical but it is a bit much, especially with the children. Its like the use the children to bring in another apathetic side to the whole commercial.
I never knew that Dove is owned by the same company that owns Axe and Slim-Fast. Even though the commercial does have a wholesale moral message behind it, you are right to say that the marketing towards the self esteem of half of our society makes it no different then the axe and slimfast commercials.