Ethical Advertising and Dove

I saw an interesting presentation on Friday at the BCAMA conference.

It featured Janet Kestin, who happens to write one of my favourite columns at ihaveanidea.org called Ask Jancy.

Janet is partially responsible for the Real Beauty campaign by Dove.

This is a campaign that I always thought was something of a sham until I heard them speak.

The concept is to show women's bodies as they actually are, not the size 0 or size 2 model body types that women apparently strive for, hence Real Beauty.

I always thought it was a gimmick to tap in to the most common insecurity of all: body dysmorphic disorder.

However, after speaking to girls about it, and listening to Janet, it appears that their are deeper issues at play, and that there is some genuine concern in place here. Women, it seems, love this campaign.

Just another example, I suppose, of how you just won't 'get' certiain ads if you aren't the target market.

The biggest thing I liked about the campaign after hearing the presentation was that they don't airbrush the models.