Hi Sandy. I've seen this ad before and the idea seems to be, help women keep their self-esteem by championing real beauty, not the retouched photo-perfect beauty depicted in all sorts of media.
The trouble with this, I think, is that this "socially responsible" campaign is at odds with every other marketing campaign they routinely promote. Ads for Sunsilk, Creamsilk, Clear, Vaseline, Lux, even Axe, show women of not-so-average (i.e., real) beauty. It's too convenient for them to say the models represent what the consumer ASPIRE to be, so that easily contradicts what they say they're trying to do with Dove.
This Self-Esteem Fund - I'm not too sure they mean it, and I think you can understand why. I've just made a blog post on Lynx (Axe) that shows the contradiction I mentioned.
Btw, it's a nice idea you thought of blogging about the consumer's say on these things. I'm tempted to blog more on subjects like these like you do. Keep it up!
I am writing this letter in regards to 2 of you product lines; Dove and Axe. Curiously, the Dove Campaign for Real Beauty promotes self-esteem and self confidence for young women and Axe advertisements promote the obj...ectification of women targeting young men just “out to get some.” How can two brands under the same company promote such contradicting view points?
Ad Quotes:
Dove:
“At Dove, we want to free ourselves and the next generation from beauty stereotypes”
Axe:
“Scrub away the skank with Snake Peel”
First of all, I find it shameful that Unilever can send such archaic and derogatory messages to young men in their expectations toward women. How many bars and clubs have you been to where women are dancing/partying in their bras and panties? How is it that Axe sells the eating disordered/cocaine infused bodies of young women? Why on one hand is Unilever selling healthy body image and lustful objectification on the other?
I am personally offended by your contradictory advertising messages. The messages in your ads tell “men” that women like guys who degrade them and are offensive. However, we know that’s not true. Advertisements including yours are an underlying root cause of sexual violence toward women in society. Getting drunk, having sex, and running out the door the next morning is a form of sexual assault since the law clearly states the participants have lost the ability to consent since they are under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs.
Fact: ¼ girls will be sexually assaulted before graduating high school (The Texas Association Against Sexual Assault Survivor’s Booklet)
Fact: 75% of male and 55% of female students in an occurrence of date rape had been drinking or using drugs (National Studies of College Women).
Your company needs to pick one side of the fence or the other with the messages you’re sending out to society. I hope you choose the messages and ideals that Dove promotes and come out of the archaic marketing age where women portrayed as disposable sexual objects.
Hi Sandy. I've seen this ad before and the idea seems to be, help women keep their self-esteem by championing real beauty, not the retouched photo-perfect beauty depicted in all sorts of media.
ReplyDeleteThe trouble with this, I think, is that this "socially responsible" campaign is at odds with every other marketing campaign they routinely promote. Ads for Sunsilk, Creamsilk, Clear, Vaseline, Lux, even Axe, show women of not-so-average (i.e., real) beauty. It's too convenient for them to say the models represent what the consumer ASPIRE to be, so that easily contradicts what they say they're trying to do with Dove.
This Self-Esteem Fund - I'm not too sure they mean it, and I think you can understand why. I've just made a blog post on Lynx (Axe) that shows the contradiction I mentioned.
Btw, it's a nice idea you thought of blogging about the consumer's say on these things. I'm tempted to blog more on subjects like these like you do. Keep it up!
i found this comment on facebook.
ReplyDeleteAshley McDonough
To whom it may concern:
I am writing this letter in regards to 2 of you product lines; Dove and Axe. Curiously, the Dove Campaign for Real Beauty promotes self-esteem and self confidence for young women and Axe advertisements promote the obj...ectification of women targeting young men just “out to get some.” How can two brands under the same company promote such contradicting view points?
Ad Quotes:
Dove:
“At Dove, we want to free ourselves and the next generation from beauty stereotypes”
Axe:
“Scrub away the skank with Snake Peel”
First of all, I find it shameful that Unilever can send such archaic and derogatory messages to young men in their expectations toward women. How many bars and clubs have you been to where women are dancing/partying in their bras and panties? How is it that Axe sells the eating disordered/cocaine infused bodies of young women? Why on one hand is Unilever selling healthy body image and lustful objectification on the other?
I am personally offended by your contradictory advertising messages. The messages in your ads tell “men” that women like guys who degrade them and are offensive. However, we know that’s not true. Advertisements including yours are an underlying root cause of sexual violence toward women in society. Getting drunk, having sex, and running out the door the next morning is a form of sexual assault since the law clearly states the participants have lost the ability to consent since they are under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs.
Fact: ¼ girls will be sexually assaulted before graduating high school (The Texas Association Against Sexual Assault Survivor’s Booklet)
Fact: 75% of male and 55% of female students in an occurrence of date rape had been drinking or using drugs (National Studies of College Women).
Your company needs to pick one side of the fence or the other with the messages you’re sending out to society. I hope you choose the messages and ideals that Dove promotes and come out of the archaic marketing age where women portrayed as disposable sexual objects.
Sincerely,
Ashley McDonough