In 2004, Dove began their “Real Beauty Campaign” as a
response to their 2003 global research study which found that “less than 2% of
women feel beautiful.”[1]
The Campaign for Real Beauty (CFRB) has been written about extensively so instead,
I’ll be taking a look at a new campaign, “The Girl Collective,” however it is
important to address the history of their body-positive campaigns to show their
evolution.
In brief, the CFRB advertisements were used “as a means of
branding the corporation as a feminist advocate for women (although this
strategy oppresses women) as well as a process of self-branding women and girls
as empowered “real beauties,”” wrote Dara Persis Murray in her analysis of
Dove. By positioning themselves as body positive, Dove attempts to brand
themselves as feminists.
The “Girl Collective” works in a similar way. It is meant to
be a “sisterhood that builds confidence and challenges beauty stereotypes.”[2]
The advertisement focuses on three young girls in different settings
being told that they are “exactly who [they] need to be.” Just like with CFRB,
this idea of the body being a place of anxiety is continued, although perhaps
less explicitly stated. Unlike with the CFRB ads, which focus on pointing out
the “flaws” of the women versus how they “should” perceive themselves as, this commercial
does this less overtly. They show clips that are meant to send that same
message without directly pointing out the girls’ insecurities, such as when one
of the girls tugs on her bathing suit, indicating a sense of discomfort. None
of the girls are smiling either until they receive a message saying they are
perfect the way they are.
This commercial is an example of neoliberalism and the body melding
together. According to Lavrence and Lozanski, in a neoliberalist society, “individuals
are encouraged to enact [their potential] through their participation in a market
economy.”[3]
What does this mean? In short, it means that you must buy products to reach
your potential. For Dove – and for these girls – it means that in order to gain
confidence, it must do so by going through the Dove market, by taking part in
Dove’s campaign and empowering themselves through Dove. Dove can’t target the
institutions that create these insecurities – it would be contradictory for
them to do so because that would mean going after groups like themselves. Dove
can’t say that big corporations are affecting girls’ self-esteem because they
are one of those big corporations. Instead, Dove suggests that “it becomes up
to individuals to develop the emotional proficiency necessary to overcome
structural barriers and their consequences,” as Lavrence and Lozanski state.
For these girls, it is up to them to seek help (from Dove) to gain confidence.
Neoliberalism’s goal of self-help and the concept of
commodity feminism are related. Much like the neoliberalist view of the self
where wellness is seen by Lavrence and Lozasnki “as a personal, obligatory, and
moral achievement to both self and community,” commodity feminism presents
“objectified female sexuality…as a personal achievement…[and the] choice of
which body to pursue your freedom in.”[4]
This advertisement invites the audience to take part in helping girls achieve
better self-esteem which can be done through the acceptance of one’s body and
the choice to be who “you” want to be. As Goldman writes, “self-acceptance is ostensibly
the key to a happier life.”
This is not to say that Dove isn’t trying to help girls,
women, and fathers be happy as who they are (as opposed to what the media says
they should be), but it is important to be critical about companies taking a
stance. Yes, companies can fight for the greater good, but their main goal will
always be to make a profit. And critical does not equate to negative. Being
critical requires research and seeing the good, the bad, and everything in
between.
If you really want to look at a company that knows how to do
this, Ben & Jerry’s has a great history of doing good for various marginalized
communities. I think that’s what we need more of: peace, love, and ice cream
(and the dismantling
of white supremacy).
[1]
Murray, 2013.
[2]
Dove, 2018.
[3]
Lavrence & Lozanski, 2014.
[4] Goldman
et al., 1991.
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