The marketing film highlights the beauty-based prejudices that society instills in young girls under the pretext of advice and challenges viewers to face these biases by redefining what beauty is.
Dove started a movement last year to get people to think about how beauty biases are reinforced while looking for a life partner. The advertising campaign demonstrated how the comments seriously damaged the self-esteem of would-be brides.
Dove discovered a crucial moment of truth wherein women’s initial experiences with appearance-driven concern started considerably earlier – as early as adolescence – as it addressed these anxieties and discouraged cultural prejudices inside the framework of marriage. These girls are being unintentionally subjected to societal biases against beauty at a time when they ought to be focusing on their education. Their entire confidence is greatly impacted by this early conditioning and grooming since it causes them to be evaluated according to a societal standard of beauty.
Dove’s #StopTheBeautyTest 2.0, the follow-up to the initial campaign, has changed its emphasis from prospective brides to teenage girls in an effort to get to the source of the issue. The film includes actual girls narrating true stories of how they were judged by society on their appearances rather than their intelligence or aptitude after undergoing various beauty exams.
According to a study by Hansa Research in December of 2020, which included 1057 females from 17 Indian major cities, 80% of schoolgirls had to take this test.
Dove wants to send a strong message by changing the way people view beauty and by ending the practise of giving grades based solely on outside comments. Instead of viewing young ladies through the perspective of a potential groom, the brand wants society to prioritise education received in the classroom.
The Dove Self-Esteem Project was established with the goal of empowering 8 million young people by the year 2025, assisting them in overcoming stereotypes, advocating for themselves, boosting their self-esteem, and reaching their full potential.
In response, Madhusudhan Rao, Executive Director, Beauty & Personal Care for Hindustan Unilever Limited, stated that over the last 10 years, with the Dove Self-Esteem Project, they are working towards a vision where beauty is a source of confidence, not concern. Young girls should feel strong in their own skin and be empowered to overcome unfair beauty evaluations that are provided to them. The real-life experiences of young girls, as a brand dedicated to taking concrete steps to transform beauty, should serve as a wake-up call for society, prompting a shift in behaviour. Dove is working hard to make sure that the next generation develops favourable self-images.
Through the Unilever-Dove Self-Esteem Project, the brand is strengthening its partnership with UNICEF by educating teachers to give educational modules on body confidence and
self-esteem to children as part of the life skills curriculum.
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