A critical perspective on the marketing ethics behind the Dove Campaign for Real Beauty

2. DOVE CAMPAIGN FOR REAL
BEAUTY
Cindy Luong
Sean Whelan
Jocelyn Jarvis
Marnie Kapatan
Zhuoying Li

4. Agenda
1. Shared-Value Model
2. Targeting Vulnerable Women
3. Dove Self-Esteem Fund
4. Ethical Benefit to Giving
Vulnerable Persons a Voice
5. Ethical Reasoning Test
6. Conclusion

5. The Shared Value Model
Empowering
Woman with Self-
Esteem about
Body Image
Shared
Value for
Dove and
the Global
Profiting from
Community
Increased
Consumer
Purchasing

6. Targeting Vulnerable Women
• Standard segmentation with
unique positioning
• Targeting vulnerable women to
help them overcome their
vulnerabilities
• Empower women

7. Targeting Vulnerable Women
“We want to challenge the definition of beauty. . . we
believe that beauty has become too narrow in definition.
We want to defy the stereotype that only the young, blond
and tall are beautiful.”
Philippe Harousseau, Dove’s VP of Branding

8. Targeting Vulnerable Women
• Hundreds of initiatives
worldwide:
• Dove Self-Esteem Fund
• Eating Disorder Association +
BodyTalk
• Program for Aesthetics and Well-
Being (Harvard University)
• The campaign today:
• Dove Self-Esteem Weekend
• Facebook: “Who Inspires You?
• Dove Movement for Self-Esteem

9. Dove Self-Esteem Fund: Facts
• More than 55% of Canadian girls
feel pressure to be beautiful by the
age of 14. This number increases to
96% by the time they are 29
• 57% of girls in the UK have used
food substitutes or smoked more to
lose weight
• 92% of girls want to change at least
one aspect of their physical
appearance

10. Dove Self-Esteem Fund: Acts
• Real Beauty School Program
• Online resources (True You!)
• Real-life workshops
• B-eat, UK’s only national charity
supporting people affected by eating
disorders
• Uniquely Me! Program, US national
philanthropy aimed at building self-
esteem among young ladies

11. Dove Self-Esteem Fund: Results and
Rewards
• Since 2005, the initiative has touched the lives of
more than 800,000 Canadian girls and more
than 7 million girls globally.
• Shown on 25+ TV channels, 800+ news articles
• Conducted around 2700 self-esteem educational
workshops worldwide
• Honoured by Step Up Women’s Network for its
philanthropic accomplishment in 2008
• Ongoing support in helping raise critical funds as well as
for being outstanding role models for young girls

12. Ethical Benefit to Giving Vulnerable
Persons a Voice
• Use of Viral Videos: Evolution

13. Evolution
• Now has:
• Over 17 million views
• 7,253 user comments
• Connected women
across the world by
facilitating user
generated discussion.

14. Online Discussions/Comments in
Response to Evolution
• “Wow that’s amazing. This is what everyone looks up to
when in reality that person who seems to be "perfect"
doesn’t even exist.”
• “In school we learned about this and yes I agree. Why?
Because I am a VICTIM. Yes I have looked at these
banners and adverts only to think, god I’m so ugly; why
would beauty advertisements want this? Thumbs up to
Dove.”

15. Ethical Benefit to Giving Vulnerable
Persons a Voice
Dove, by targeting individuals based on an understanding
of their level of self-esteem, helped build a solid foundation
for a more positive self-image for millions of young women:
“Dove is not about women feeling more beautiful, it’s about
more women feeling beautiful”
Philippe Harousseau, Dove’s VP of Branding

16. Ethical Reasoning Test
Test Response
Legal Test
Duties Test
Special Obligations Test
Motives Test
Consequences Test
Virtues Test
Rights Test
Justice Test

17. Dove’s Mission Statement
“Dove is not about women feeling more beautiful, but
about more women feeling beautiful. Our notion of beauty
is not elitist. It is celebratory, inclusive and democratic.”

18. Ethical Reasoning Test
Test Response
Legal Test
Duties Test
Special Obligations Test
Motives Test
Consequences Test
Virtues Test
Rights Test
Justice Test

19. Summary
• Shared Value
• Positioning to Empower
• Dove’s Dedication to Self-Esteem
• Starting the Conversation
• Passing the Test
ETHICAL: ✔