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Aaron Kreider
Bedell
CAS137H
14 October 2013
Dove Beauty Campaign Rhetorical Analysis
Its a problem that women have dealt with for centuries: what do others find
beautiful? Ask any woman and she will most likely give you measurements for what
most would consider a runway modelimpossibly tall, drastically long legs, and a body
mass index that would be considered anorexic. Many women aspire to look like the
models they see in the magazines and videos even though they present a skewed
perception of a healthy body weight. High-fashion models are a standard dress size at 0-
2; however, the average American woman is a size 14. This false representation has led
American women to perceive their own beauty in negative ways. A recent campaign by
Dove, however, has attempted to help women understand what beauty really is.
The Dove Beauty Campaign is a series of short-films, advertisements, and work
shops all made available to women of all ages (geared more specifically towards younger
girlsyet also creating advertisements for women 60+) by Dove, a personal care and
soap brand. The goal of this campaign is to get women to buy more Dove products;
however, the claim is that all women are beautiful in their own unique ways. The Dove
Beauty Campaign seizes the kairotic moment of womens skewed perception of beauty
by creating these videos and workshops to effectively promote their products and build
the self-esteem of young girls with elements of pathos, and ethos.
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According to Dosomething.org, 70% of young girls believe they are not good
enough be it through the standards of academics, sports, or looks. And with 75% of girls
who have low self-esteem engaging in the act of self-harm, the exigency of girls
growing mis-perception is apparent. Advertisements for beauty products are being
marketed to girls younger and younger and, psychologists argue, these advertisements are
detrimental to their self-esteem. (Kilbourne) With the recent development of Photoshop,
girls are fed images of women that are impossible to achieve. In one Ralph Lauren ad, a
modelFillipa Hamiltonwas photoshopped so severely that her head was bigger than
her hips, a distortion that is physically impossible. Many girls see ads such as this, and try
to make their bodies fit what they see in the ad. A campaign such as the Dove Beauty
Campaign utilizes the rhetorical aspect of kairos as young girls perception of beauty is
rapidly transforming into the ideal of these impossible standards to argue that these
images are wrong. With the conception of self-esteem workshops and short-films such
as Evolutiona film in which a normal woman is Photoshopped to appear as a beautiful
modelthese beauty industry secrets can be eye opening for young girls.
In the Dove self-esteem workshops, girls and their mothers can use tools made
available to them by Dove to understand the beauty industry and Americas skewed
perception of a healthy body weight, all while being marketed Dove products. Dove
products allow women to embrace their natural beauty. The kairos of Doves campaign
is excellent because of the presentation of models that are manufactured to appear as they
do in the advertisements. The amalgam of Doves audience and the culture it lives in
create a kairotic event that work very well for the marketing of Dove products.
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Doves standing as a personal care business, and not a beauty or fashion business
allows the company to use the rhetorical element of ethos. Dove has always presented an
ideal of self-acceptance and natural beauty. Through Doves ethical standing they are
further marketing products through the Dove Beauty Campaign. The message is to love
oneself. However, throughout all the short-films and workshops everyone is aware that it
is Dove who is presenting these facts to them. This is an indirect marketing technique
indirect, but successful. The ethical appeal to women is powerful, it is not the Victorias
Secret: Love My Body Campaign, in which size 2 models were used to market panties
to women. The ethical appeal of a non-beauty product company hiring size 12-16 models
of all ages and telling women to love their bodies is much more effective in the eyes of
American women.
The pathetic appeals of the Dove Beauty Campaign are perhaps some of the most
effective of the entire campaign. In the short-film Onslaught the camera focuses, briefly,
on a young girl. The audience is then sent through a flash of beauty advertisements
promising smaller, thinner, softer [insert what you dont like here]. The film ends just
before the words Talk to your daughter before the beauty industry does appear on
screen. The video is geared towards a very specific audience: women. The little girl in the
film represents the innocence that the women used to have before being exposed to the
beauty industry. In this way, the use of a child as an excellent pathetic appeal is
reinforced. However, it is not the child that drives the pathos throughout the entirety of
the campaign. The pathetic appeals are geared much more directly towards something
that every human feels: insecurity.
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The central theme of the entire Dove Beauty Campaign is for women to accept
their bodies, regardless of insecurity. This resonates with all women in a way that is
rooted in emotion. Dove claims that all women are beautiful in their own unique ways
and they are able to maintain this beauty by buying Dove products. This promotional
aspect by Dove is effective in marketing its products. The advertisement makes one feel
good about oneselfsomething not done often in todays advertisements. In a capitalistic
and obtusely advertised nation, most consumers are shamed into buying a product. You
are too ________. Buy _________, and you will finally be happy. The Dove Beauty
Campaign focuses on being happy with what you have and maintaining ita positive
emotional appeal.
Overall, the Dove Beauty Campaign is successful in its rhetorical elements. The
ethical appeal of Dove is apparent to its customers and is driven emotionally with
pathetic appeals. The advertisement was well received among the American population,
getting a 100% success rating on Debate.org. The rhetorical elements allow women to
understand the stance on beauty that Dove takes and allows them to understand what they
are purchasing. By purchasing Dove products, women can feel naturally beautiful and
secure in their looks, and thats just how Dove wants them to feel.






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Works Cited

Dye, Lauren. "A Critique of Dove's Campaign for Real Beauty." Canadian Journal of
Media Studies 5.1 (n.d.): 114-27. Print.

"For The Last Time: What Size Was Marilyn Monroe?" Jezebel. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Oct.
2013. <http://jezebel.com/5299793/for-the-last-time-what-size-was-marilyn-
monroe>.

"Is Dove's Real Beauty Campaign Successful?" The Premier Online Debate Website.
Debate.org, n.d. Web. 14 Oct. 2013.

Helm, Burt. "Surprise! Dove's "Campaign for Real Beauty" Ads Actually Kind of Fake."
Business Week. N.p., 7 May 2008. Web. 14 Oct. 2013.
<http://www.businessweek.com/the_thread/brandnewday/archives/2008/05/surpri
se_doves.html>.

Kilbourne, Jean. "Beauty...and the Beast of Advertising." Center for Media Literacy.
N.p., 2011. Web. 14 Oct. 2013. <http://www.medialit.org/reading-
room/beautyand-beast-advertising>.
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Wood, Louise. "Perceptions Of Female Beauty In The 20th Century." Perceptions Of
Female Beauty In The 20th Century. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Oct. 2013.
<http://barneygrant.tripod.com/p-erceptions.htm>.

"11 Facts About Teens And Self-Esteem." Do Something. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Oct. 2013.
<http://www.dosomething.org/tipsandtools/11-facts-about-teens-and-self-esteem>.