Dove's Beauty Campaign
Hollis Hitchens
Mr. Saye
English 102
10 March 2011
The Dictionary defines the word Beauty as “A beautiful person, especially a woman.” Nowhere in that definition does it suggest the woman is a size 0 with big breasts, flawless skin and high cheekbones. This is the message Dove is trying to send by creating “Dove’s Campaign for Real Beauty”, to make women of all shapes, sizes, and color feel beautiful everyday. However, shortly after Dove released their first campaign, media columnists such as Richard Roeper and Lucio Guerrero were quick to reflect their “professional” opinions. After reviewing Jennifer L. Pozner’s article on Dove’s “Real Beauty” Backlash and the naïve comments these active media members have made, I found through Dove Campaign for Real Beauty, a case study by Olivia Falcione and Laura Henderson, that Dove has viewed women’s thoughts and feelings of themselves and media, in conclusion giving a direct reason for creating such a ambitious campaign.
In Dove’s “Real Beauty” Backlash, Pozner believes we should feel inspired by these happy healthy women. However, I have focused on Pozner’s frustration with the men in the media industry. Pozner’s optimistic attitude for Dove’s campaign and support for “real women” quickly changes while analyzing these men’s superficial demands. She says “It is unsettling for men with power positions in the media industry to still think it is acceptable to demand that women be displayed only in the hyper-objectifying images they feel is somehow their due”. (Pozner, 216).
Chicago Sun Times columnist Richard Roeper “found these Dove ad’s a little unsettling.” (Pozner, 215). As he referred to the “chunky women” who appeared on numerous billboards and bus sides, “If I want to see plump gals baring too much skin, I’ll go to Taste of Chicago, OK?” (Pozner, 215). I find this ironic seeing as these “chunky women” are “real women” off the streets. Roeper does suggest he should commend Dove for separating from the
Mr. Saye
English 102
10 March 2011
The Dictionary defines the word Beauty as “A beautiful person, especially a woman.” Nowhere in that definition does it suggest the woman is a size 0 with big breasts, flawless skin and high cheekbones. This is the message Dove is trying to send by creating “Dove’s Campaign for Real Beauty”, to make women of all shapes, sizes, and color feel beautiful everyday. However, shortly after Dove released their first campaign, media columnists such as Richard Roeper and Lucio Guerrero were quick to reflect their “professional” opinions. After reviewing Jennifer L. Pozner’s article on Dove’s “Real Beauty” Backlash and the naïve comments these active media members have made, I found through Dove Campaign for Real Beauty, a case study by Olivia Falcione and Laura Henderson, that Dove has viewed women’s thoughts and feelings of themselves and media, in conclusion giving a direct reason for creating such a ambitious campaign.
In Dove’s “Real Beauty” Backlash, Pozner believes we should feel inspired by these happy healthy women. However, I have focused on Pozner’s frustration with the men in the media industry. Pozner’s optimistic attitude for Dove’s campaign and support for “real women” quickly changes while analyzing these men’s superficial demands. She says “It is unsettling for men with power positions in the media industry to still think it is acceptable to demand that women be displayed only in the hyper-objectifying images they feel is somehow their due”. (Pozner, 216).
Chicago Sun Times columnist Richard Roeper “found these Dove ad’s a little unsettling.” (Pozner, 215). As he referred to the “chunky women” who appeared on numerous billboards and bus sides, “If I want to see plump gals baring too much skin, I’ll go to Taste of Chicago, OK?” (Pozner, 215). I find this ironic seeing as these “chunky women” are “real women” off the streets. Roeper does suggest he should commend Dove for separating from the
Cited: Pozner, Jennifer L. "Dove 's "Real Beauty" Backlash." Signs of Life in the USA: Readings on Popular Culture for Writers. Boston: Bedford, 1997. Print. "The Dove Campaign for Real Beauty." Public Relations Problems and Cases. Web. 10 Mar. 2011. .