Dove's 'Real Beauty Sketches' Ad Campaign Tells Women... (VIDEO)

[Hissyspit]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/15/doves-real-beauty-sketches-ad-campaign-video_n_3088071.html

Dove's 'Real Beauty Sketches' Ad Campaign Tells Women 'You're More Beautiful Than You Think' (VIDEO)

The Huffington Post | By Emma Gray
Posted: 04/16/2013 7:00 am EDT | Updated: 04/16/2013 6:03 pm EDT

Do women see themselves less accurately than strangers do? A new Dove campaign says yes -- and offers proof, in the form of forensic sketches.

Dove recruited seven women of different ages and backgrounds and had FBI-trained forensic artist Gil Zamora create composite sketches of them based on descriptions of their own facial features. In the above video, produced for the campaign, you can hear the women use phrases like "my mom told me I had a big jaw," "I kind of have a fat, rounder face," "I'd say I have a pretty big forehead."

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It's worth noting that Dove is owned by Unilever -- the same company that owns Axe, king of misogynistic ads that use headless breasts and "flirty girls" to hawk its products. However, despite the obvious commercial intentions behind this campaign, the message rings true and is a refreshing departure from the many female-targeted ads that try to shame women into buying things.

And it's women's existing shame that the Dove campaign does a good job of exposing through its sketches. "I probably beat myself up way more than I should," Cabrales acknowledged to HuffPost Women. "I see my 8-year-old daughter, and she’s so happy and confident, and naturally exudes this beauty. And when I see her I feel like, 'Oh god, what pitfalls did I fall into, and how can I keep that from happening to her?' I don’t know what they are -- I wish I did. I really want to protect her."

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[surrealAmerican]

1. Interesting project.

I wonder if they tried the same thing with men as subjects.

[UnrepentantLiberal]

2. The men would probably say they're better looking than they are.

[sadbear]

6. No...men are exactly as rugged and handsome as they believe themselves to be.

I know because I am a rugged and handsome man.

[UnrepentantLiberal]

7. And absorbent.

That's important too.

[sadbear]

8. Of course.

By the way, I'm suing Brawny for using my likeness without permission.

[progressoid]

11. Exactly.

I have a full head of hair and still wear size 32 pants.

[Quantess]

13. Well... that's an interesting idea, but, careful about generalizations

and broad brushes.

It could also be that heterosexuals have a harder time judging their own attractiveness, because they are attracted to the opposite sex? Wow, I just stepped in it, huh.

[UnrepentantLiberal]

18. Chill the fuck out.

We got this.

Wow, I just stepped in it

[AnneD]

3. Looks are not as important to women....

as security is...

Think of all the models, etc that date or marry politicians, CEO's, Wall Street exec's. Money and power are a far greater aphrodisiac than how a man looks.

I love the Dove project and think it is a great start.

[Sivafae]

19. I disagree. Women are just not as shallow. Let me explain...

Traditionally, a woman's worth was only her beauty and ability to produce male heirs. I mean think about it...the new arm candy that Mr Trump married not too long ago, what does she do besides be Mr Trump's wife--I am sure she does a lot of things and good things too. But since she is beautiful and married (god only know why) to Mr Trump, that is her only worth to the public at large. Or consider the fact that we can only accept a woman as funny if she is somehow "imperfect." Because that is what ugly girls do, they get a great personality because their main worth, beauty, isn't there.

Men on the other hand, have traditionally had agency in the world at large. They have been allowed to gain status, not according to their looks, but to their ability to be successful in the world, and thus have worth. Talk to a man to believes that he has not achieved success in this life and see what he has to say about the worth of men in this society. A man without success is worthless.

Are these definitions of worth limiting? Absolutely.

I am not saying that I agree with these traditional gender roles, I am, however trying to point out the misogyny that flourishes when a woman marries a successful man...we say that she is a "money-grubber." But we don't say that a man is shallow because he marries a beautiful wife. he is just doing what is expected of him.

[AnneD]

21. There is nothing shallow....

about wanting security, both for yourself and your children. And it is fine to work with the assets you have. Women have traditional been able to use their looks when there was nothing else or any other avenue they could pursue a livelihood.

I am not judging one way or another, just stating a historical fact. I don't judge women so harshly. You have to do what you have to do to provide for you and yours.

Things are changing a bit more now thanks in part to technology.

[uppityperson]

23. Yes. Here is the video. NSFW.

[liberalla]

4. What a great campaign and a great message.

I found it thoughtful and moving. Well done.

[bighart]

5. That is a very powerful ad

I actually teared up. Be careful what you say about others as our words can have lasting effects.

[SoCalDem]

9. The author wondered how she could protect her daughter

Resist the urge to make her "fashionable" too early...

8 yr olds do not need camisoles/bras/sequins/feathers/spandex..

they need bicycles, skateboards/ jumpropes/games/dolls (regular dolls...not sex-kitten dolls)...serviceable clothes that are NOT "sexy"..

And most young girls just need decent food & exercise..not fast food followed by fad diets.. It's sad to hear little girls complaining that they are "fat".. Moms would do their daughters a service by not bemoaning their own weight issues in front of the kids..Kids learn what they live.. Who would want to grow up to be just like Mommy, if Mommy hates her body?

[Sissyk]

16. +1

Exactly! Keep your girls off toddlers and tiaras, ffs!

[MineralMan]

10. Very nice. A new perspective for those women.

I like this.

[Oilwellian]

12. Amazing Ad

Very powerful. Just shared on FB for my daughter inlaws, niece, cousins, aunts, granddaughters, and lady friends.

[redqueen]

14. K&R

Also, this
http://www.policymic.com/articles/34125/60-of-girls-have-quit-a-sport-because-of-their-looks

[madokie]

15. If you are woman you are Beautiful

[Sissyk]

17. K&R

Excellent campaign. And, I love Dove.

[Sivafae]

20. I'd still like to see women move away from the idea that their beauty is all the worth they have.

We place such emphasis on it and this campaign is still all about how beautiful a woman is. Why do we allow ourselves to be measured only by that standard? Sure it would be nice to be beautiful, or to be seen as beautiful. But it is not the end-all-be-all of my existence.

[MadrasT]

22. +1

I can not get excited about something that is still all about beauty

People are beautiful to me based on their insides not their outsides