My colleague Kiesa pointed me to this advertisement for Dove beauty products. Try and watch it--it shows “before” and “after” pictures of a model. And the glam factor of the “after” pic is not just excellent wardrobe and makeup but also extreme Photoshop.
The single-most remarkable feature of the ad was that Photoshop stunt where they elongate the model’s neck and she instantaneously acquires a regal mien. I thought the model attractive both before and after, so it didn’t really have the intended impact on me--but Kiesa and a few other women claimed that the ad gave them the shivers/goosebumps/epiphanies.
So is Dove and its so-called “real beauty campaign” a corporate savior of women’s self-esteem?
I’m not entirely convinced. If we were to, as some would say, “ax around,” we’d discover that Dove’s parent company Unilever also runs those annoying Axe body spray commercials. Browse around at Axe and then tell me how you feel about women’s self-esteem.
On the other hand, someone at Dove is making an extremely earnest attempt to demystify media-produced beauty. Whether it's part of a consistent marketing strategy or not, it's still something to applaud.
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Monday, November 20, 2006
BRB: Fake Vacation
Big A is in Phoenix, AZ this week for a conference, and I'm tagging along for the triple-degree temps, museum-ing, hiking, and checking ...
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Friends and old neighbors shutting it down in honor of John Crawford. _
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I have the feeling that I’m going to succumb to the season and put out a list of resolutions soon. Just wanted to establish this heads up th...
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At had us pose for this pic up at Aunt R's place on Lake Huron so he could put it up in his dorm. "Don't tur...