Don’t Worry, You are Prettier Than You Think
“Your beauty is not a norm, but your self-perception.”
Are you troubled by your face? Are you anxious about your figure? Looking at youthful young models in magazines, we’ve all been dismayed that we don’t fit society’s standards of “beauty.” Such a standard seems to warn us that we are not skinny enough, not young enough, or perfect enough…Being “ordinary” would be the most unacceptable thing for us. It follows us closely, always reminding us what we should do and what we should not do.
For challenging this breathless situation, Dove’s campaign “Real Beauty Sketch” in 2013 is meant to break the societal rule of beauty. It encourages women to re-examine their beauty and subvert their self-perception.
“You are more beautiful than you imagine, let’s discover the real you together”
Dove’s “Real Beauty Sketches,” tells a poignant story about self-awareness and the perspective of others. In the ad, Dove hired a professional forensic painter to paint two portraits of some women. First, they were asked to describe their appearance, and the artist drew the first portrait according to their description without seeing them. Then, the artist would find a stranger whom the woman had never met before, ask them to describe what the woman just looked like, and then draw a second portrait based on that description. When two portraits are side-by-side, the results are often shocking: The portrait drawn from someone else’s description often looks more beautiful and positive than the woman’s self-described portrait.
There is a huge discrepancy between our self-image and how others see us: We often underestimate our beauty and become overly critical of our appearance.
When we are appreciating the scenery brought by others, we don’t know that we are also decorating other people’s dreams.
Many women will resonate with Dove’s “Real Beauty Sketches”. As a young woman, I also often suffer from deep anxiety about my lack of physical appearance. I often reflect on why I have a round face and not a more defined jawline. In terms of personal cognition, I often tend to be self-deprecating and self-deprecating. However, my friends never pointed out that my face shape is not delicate enough. Instead, they always compliment me on being pretty, funny, and friendly. This Dove ad resonated with me, allowing many female viewers like me to connect with this message on a personal level. The message isn’t directly pushed; instead, it naturally unfolds through the story and emotional journey, making it more effective.
On the other hand, the ad also showcases their brand philosophy: Authentic beauty comes from being true to yourself, the recognition and acceptance of beauty, rather than the rigid definition of beauty from the outside world. Dove has consistently focused on challenging traditional beauty standards and promoting self-esteem. The video further emphasizes that beauty is not about conforming to specific societal norms, but about individual self-perception.
Since 2004, Dove has been challenging traditional aesthetic standards and enhancing women’s self-esteem. Its Campaign for Real Beauty encourages women to appreciate and embrace their natural beauty; in 2006, Dove released an ad video, “Evolution,” that exposed the unrealistic beauty standards presented in advertising. This time Real Beauty Sketches encourages women to be more tolerant of their appearance. Through these campaigns, Dove has been working to change the perception of beauty and encourage all people to appreciate their own authentic beauty.
This amazing digital content is deserved to be shared with women who are suffering from appearence anxiety. The video not only discusses an important issue (i.e., self-perception and beauty standards) but does so in an emotionally engaging and unique manner. In reality, the video went viral, proving its shareability and resonance with audiences worldwide.
