In an industry where toxic beauty standards are typically the front and center of marketing campaigns, Dove stood out as one of the first brands to celebrate uniqueness and healthy self-esteem.

But how did its 2017 ad campaign, initially intended to celebrate diversity, turn out to offend instead of empower?

In this article, we’ll examine how Dove’s 2017 Real Beauty ad, meant to promote an inclusive vision of beauty, backfired, revealing eye-opening lessons in the process. 

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Dove’s Real Beauty Campaign

In 2004, Dove launched its Real Beauty campaign, which put a spotlight on how media represents women, often using digital distortion to create unrealistic standards of beauty.

Image Credit: TIME

Image Credit: Research Gate

One of the earlier ads under the campaign was Evolution, a short film showing a time-lapse video of a person’s transformation from a make-up-free, ordinary woman (​​Stephanie Betts) to a billboard supermodel through digital manipulation.

The video gained international wards, including the prestigious Cannes Lions Grand Prix. But more than the recognition, the brand took pride in triggering discourse about toxic beauty standards, leading to low self-esteem.

Real Beauty remains relevant two decades after its launch, especially given the additional pressure social media imposes on females of all ages.

Screenshots from Dove.com

Alongside raising awareness about unrealistic beauty standards, Real Beauty also tries to uphold racial equity, encouraging people to be comfortable with their skin. As mentioned on its website, the company is “fighting to end appearance and healthcare discrimination impacting Black communities.”  

Given this context, the company undoubtedly had good intentions when it released a diversity ad – but it went off course and overshadowed its message.

The Ad That Missed the Mark

In 2017, Dove released an ad showing women of different ethnicities changing shirts that match the color of their skin. The video featured an African-American woman changing her shirt and revealing herself as a white woman. The second woman then changed her shirt, revealing another woman of a different ethnicity.

An American makeup artist, Naomi Blake, posted about the ad on Facebook.

She uploaded an image showing four screenshots from the video and added the caption, “So I’m scrolling through Facebook and this is the #dove ad that comes up…. ok so what am I looking at….” 

Screenshot of @Naytemua’s Facebook post

The post got thousands of reactions and comments, many expressing confusion or offense over the ad’s message. 

Screenshot of some of the comments on @Naytemua’s Facebook post

“We’re putting out these absolutely subliminal messages that are telling young ladies that your darker skin is not beautiful enough; you need to purify and clean yourself,” Blake said in an interview with Good Morning America.

“This is a tone-deaf, and I feel like it is a poor point representation of colorism in the world.”

Dove’s Response to the Backlash

In response to the backlash, Dove removed the video online and issued an apology via Twitter, now X.

Dove posted a longer statement on Facebook, explaining the original concept behind the three-second video. 

“The short video was intended to convey that Dove body wash is for every woman and be a celebration of diversity, but we got it wrong. It did not represent the diversity of real beauty, which is something Dove is passionate about and is core to our beliefs, and it should not have happened,” the statement said.

Dove went on to say that they were re-evaluating their internal process for the creation and approval of content to avoid making the same mistake again.

“We apologize deeply and sincerely for the offense that it has caused and do not condone any activity or imagery that insults any audience,” the statement ended.

Screenshot of Dove’s statement on Facebook

Lessons from Dove’s 2017 Marketing Blunder

As the case shows us, sensitive issues like diversity and race can present complex issues in marketing. Here are a few key lessons marketers can learn from the blunder: 

  • The Devil Is in the Details. The brand explained in its apology statement that the video was well-intentioned. However, the way in which diversity was represented in the ad showed a lack of a nuanced understanding of racial representation. This is where focus group discussions and cultural consultations can come in handy. By doing pre-launch reviews, brands can catch subliminal messages before the material is released to the public.
  • Education and Awareness. The case emphasizes the importance of educating marketing teams on their campaigns’ social and cultural implications. Awareness of colorism, racial sensitivity, and representation should be integral to the campaign’s development.
  • Taking Accountability. One thing that Dove did right in this incident was apologize promptly and take accountability. In addition, the apology statement also mentioned the changes they’re implementing to prevent the same mistakes in the future.

Dove’s 2017 marketing blunder teaches us that taking a unique and creative approach isn’t enough. Marketers must carefully review all brand messages to catch any subliminal content that might contradict the brand’s vision or offend audience segments. After all, a sincere and authentic brand identity—much like true beauty—should go beyond skin-deep.

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