Week 2 Analysis: Brands & The Human Connection / Curating 3

The target audience for this video is mostly female. Although I think it mostly resonates with women over the age of 18, it would be more impactful for women in their late 20’s to early 60’s. The reason I believe this is because mature women usually find themselves being very judgmental of their appearance. We are constantly aware of how we are aging and are surrounded by products and media that remind us that we need to look younger.

The Dove brand is about beauty. Their products range from deodorant to shampoos and conditioners; products that keep people clean and healthy. What’s interesting is that instead of promoting beauty conventionally, this campaign promotes confidence. This video is brilliant. When you start watching it, you’re not quite sure what to expect. You get an introduction from a forensic artist followed by multiple women who were called in to describe themselves. The pacing is slow, the music is calming, and the visuals are simple. The visuals are almost less important than the words that are being spoken by the various women in the piece. These women start describing how they think they look, all being slightly critical of their appearance which is very relatable. As the piece continues, you find out that these women met each other briefly prior to the session. They are then asked to describe the appearance of the women they met. Their responses are more positive. At the end of the piece you see the side by side comparisons of the drawings created by the artist of the description of themselves and the other person’s narrative. All of them were similar in that the personal description was critical and the stranger’s description was more beautiful and accurate.

The overall message shows that we are massively critical of ourselves when other people can find the beauty in us. We should find the beauty in ourselves and embrace our splendor. This campaign achieved high numbers because it tells a story. A story that most women can relate to and one that provokes emotion. It connects with people because it makes you think about your own perception of yourself and the realization that you are more beautiful that you admit to be. It encourages conversation within peers, perhaps a teaching moment for a woman to her daughter, and can bring confidence to a woman not feeling her best at that moment.

The fact that this campaign received 30 times more media exposure than paid for media space proves that a great story is more impactful than any other form of advertising. Not once during the video did they mention Dove, except at the end. The fact that they were not selling a product didn’t matter – Dove made their brand about having confidence and pride. It was not about having the perfect face but about being happy in your own skin. The campaign used regular women, women we could relate to, instead of models whose beauty is almost unattainable. Although I had seen this campaign in the past and it moved me, I never realized how much it impacted the way advertising has changed in recent years.

As a media communications student, it drives the fact that storytelling is key. A successful campaign is about evoking emotion, being memorable, and associating a brand with an identity. After analyzing this campaign, I am more inclined to spend my hard earned money on Dove – not because of their fantastic body wash but because I believe in their brand and what they stand for.