Dove, No Filter Needed
Dove is one of the strongest brand stories that I have ever experienced, and always will be. They continue to be a stand out because of their commitment to their brand image and consistency in their campaigns across all channels.
In 2004, Dove launched their campaign for Real Beauty. Dove used this movement as their promise to society that they will never use manipulated, unachievable images of women using their products in their marketing.
The TikTok created by Dove in June 2023, pictured below, shows a woman participating in the before and after trend. This trend shows user’s transformations from their natural appearance to a filtered, over-edited version of themselves. However, to create her own version of this trend, the influencer pictured below decided to continue to support Dove’s ongoing real beauty campaign. She does this by writing the same “before” title like the trend shows, but in the “after” slide, she writes, “PSA: Real Beauty doesn’t need filters.” This content strategy was so powerful because it is a reminder of the 2004 campaign, it shows consistency, and demonstrates how the campaign wasn’t just a PR stunt to Dove. Instead, it is a movement that they are passionate about and have been promoting for years!
Other beauty brands in the industry often receive criticism for creating movements that claim to support a cause, such as inclusivity and inner beauty, but ultimately fail to remain dedicated to it and only use that image as a tactic to appear positive and accepting.
This video personally resonated with me because it is so important for popular brands like Dove to promote this message of body positivity. It is especially crucial for young minds to live in a body positive society so that they realize how important loving yourself is and how beautiful they are without a filter. It is also refreshing that Dove has even translated this old campaign to new platforms like TikTok to stay consistent in their messaging.
Dove’s promise to society back in 2004 continues to live on and promote a healthy image of what true beauty is. This campaign has made me a loyal customer of Dove because they were one of the first brands to speak out-not only on creating a body positive environment, but the part that the beauty industry plays in promoting impossible beauty standards.
“No manipulation. No distortion. With the Dove No Digital Distortion Mark, we’re pledging to only ever show women as they are in real life — 100% beautiful.”
