Dove campaign for real beauty

A lot of controversy has been generated lately over Dove’s campaign for real beauty. Some people feel that Dove should not have used non-model types in their ads because they don’t fit into the “perfect” image usually associated with advertising, while others feel that it’s a refreshing change. In a perfect world, the latter should be true. The problem however lies in the fact that we do not live in a perfect world.

Many people have stated that Dove launched this campaign knowing that it would generate this sort of controversy. That’s likely true but since their job is to effectively market their products, they have clearly succeeded.

Dove seems to be taking a responsible approach with this campaign though. It’s been a fairly well know fact that many women who are well within their ideal body weight often feel overweight or unattractive because they compare themselves to the models that they find in fashion magazines or on television. Dove has taken steps to help correct this problem by creating The Dove Self-Esteem Fund, and whether this is just a part of their marketing plan or honest attempt to help, I think it’s a classic case of the end justifies the means. If they can help improve the self esteem of young women everywhere, is it really a bad thing that they happen to be making money while doing it? I don’t think so.