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Case Details

Case Code: MKTG360
Case Length: 10 Pages 
Period: 2004-2014    
Pub Date: 2017
Teaching Note: Not Available
Price:Rs.300
Organization : Unilever, Plc .
Industry : Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG)
Countries : UK 
Themes: Marketing  
/Advertising and Promotions
Case Studies  
Business Strategy
Marketing
Finance
Human Resource Management
IT and Systems
Operations
Economics
Leadership & Entrepreneurship

Dove's 'Real Beauty Sketches' Campaign

 
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EXCERPTS

CAMPAIGN FOR REAL BEAUTY

 

In September 2004, Unilever launched a global campaign called “Campaign for Real Beauty” to challenge the stereotypes set by the beauty industry over the years and to broaden the definition of beauty and encourage discussion about its aspects. This campaign featured regular women (non-models) who were beautiful in their own way and did not fit in with the idealized images of models, super-models, and celebrities. The campaign was a huge success as it was appreciated by many consumers and led to increased sales of Dove products. It also generated plenty of buzz and wide media coverage for the Dove brand. In October 2006, Dove launched the ‘Evolution’ commercial as a key message in its Campaign for Real Beauty. The ad was a one-minute, mute video fast-forwarding the process of turning an average woman into a made-over, photo shopped billboard model..

 
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THE REAL BEAUTY SKETCHES CAMPAIGN

In 2011, Dove carried out a global study on women’s relationship with beauty called “The Real Truth about Beauty: Revisited”. According to the study, only 4% of women globally considered themselves beautiful while 11% of girls globally felt comfortable describing themselves as ‘beautiful’. About 54% women who participated in the study agreed that when it came to how they looked, they were their own worst beauty critic. The study indicated that women were still under pressure from the narrow beauty standards in society which negatively affected their self-esteem. In order to make women feel better about themselves and to ignite a global conversation about the need for a wider definition of beauty, Unilever decided to conduct a social experiment. In 2013, Unilever launched the ‘Dove Real Beauty Sketches’ campaign to explore how women viewed their own beauty in contrast to what others perceived. The aim of the campaign was to turn beauty into a source of confidence, not anxiety, for women...
 

RESULTS

Some industry observers felt that the campaign was successful in its attempt to show women that they were too critical of their own beauty and that their perception of what they looked like was distorted and inaccurate..
 

CRITICISM

Some critics felt that the campaign’s attempt to define ‘real beauty’ was ineffective. According to them, the campaign propagated a narrow cultural perception of beauty, as youth, light-colored skin, and being skinny were considered positive attributes. They felt that the portraits of women in the video were distinguished based on characteristics such as a mole, shadows under the eyes, roundness in facial shape, or wrinkles implying that such appearances reflected beauty...

LOOKING AHEAD

According to some analysts, not only had the ‘Real Beauty Sketches’ campaign helped Dove effectively increase its sales but it was also successful in communicating its message and increasing self-appreciation and self-worth among women. The campaign was innovative and ground breaking, setting the bar for future campaigns of Dove, they added. “The Real Beauty campaign is a game changer for advertising and more should follow in their footsteps, said Lianna Brinded, Finance Editor for Business Insider UK...
 

EXHIBITS

Exhibit I:Video Statistics of Dove Sketches Real Beauty Campaign
Exhibit II: Real Beauty Sketches.
Exhibit III: Share Statistics of ‘Real Beauty Sketches’ campaign .
Exhibit IV: RBS – Participants and Impressions.