Marketing in the News: Dove

 If you're on social media at all, you know about filters and the way they can distort your image in a variety of ways. Many are aimed at being goofy, inciting laughter among viewers, but there are plenty that aim to make the user look more attractive based on societal standards. Taking selfies is normally a lighthearted activity, but people don't realize the actual harm these filters can have on the mental health of those that use them. 

One such filter is called the "Bold Glamour" filter, and it can be found all over TikTok. In fact, the hashtag associated with it has been used over 364 million times on various posts. The filter itself is meant to make you look glamorous, but it instead sets unrealistic beauty standards that the average user cannot achieve. This leaves the user feeling not good enough, and severely affects their self-esteem.  Due to this, Dove has launched a marketing campaign with the hashtag #TurnYourBack. The campaign encourages young people to embrace real beauty and reject filters like Bold Glamour, promoting positive body image and self-esteem for all. This is vital in a world where, according to Dove, 85% of girls distort the way they look online by the age of 13., and one third of girl feel the need to edit their photos online until they no longer even look like themselves anymore. The campaign kicked off on March 9th with a TikTok post from Dove, and quickly gained traction. The influencer-led campaign highlights the feelings of content creators, who share their personal feelings on the filter and the potential damages it can cause surrounding beauty ideals

This isn't the first time Dove has launched a campaign like this, and it certainly won't be the last. As a company, Dove has made it clear that a large part of their brand is promoting beauty from within and supporting women all over the globe in their efforts to sustain a positive mindset surrounding their self-worth. Although there are plenty of Dove products created for men, their target audience is mostly female, and an issue that tends to plague specifically women, is that of self-esteem or lack thereof. This, among other reasons, is why this targeted ad is doing so well amidst female users. In the ad, women are literally turning their backs on the filter and standing up for natural beauty. They are speaking out about the consequences and negative impact that digital distortion has on society, but specifically impressionable young girls. It may seem like an issue of little importance, but one's worth is not derived from how symmetrical we are, or how attractive we are, and we shouldn't be perpetuating the idea that it is. 

Something to also note is the fact that they chose to launch this campaign on arguably one of the most-used social media platforms of this day and age. The exposure the ad is getting due to this is phenomenal. Finding ways to reach people outside their target audience allows their marketing to gain more traction. While we scroll through our newsfeeds and posts, we are bombarded with advertisements and information, and Dove recognizes this. Hopefully more companies realize the impact that they can have on their audience and use it to promote positive change. Below is a link to the TikTok that started it all, and I highly urge you to look at the other videos using #TurnYourBack. This marketing campaign is good for everyone, even those not directly involved, and society could use more like it. 

Link to TikTok:

https://www.tiktok.com/@dove/video/7208223549947923758?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc&web_id=7227585746325964334

Link to TikTok's using #TurnYourBack:

Find '#turnyourback' on TikTok | TikTok Search

Sources:

Dove Boldly Turns Its Back on TikTok's New Glamour Filter (adweek.com)

10 Of The Best Marketing Campaigns In 2023 (gwi.com)

Dove – About Dove | Dove

The Dove Self-Esteem Project | Dove







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