Dove Celebrates ‘Flaws’ Of Women Jilted By Their Suitors In India
Image via Dove India
Dove India has teamed up with Ogilvy Mumbai to carry a powerful message about how the country deals with arranged marriages. The brand believes that beauty is not one-dimensional, and aims to banish toxic practices that significantly challenge women’s self-esteem.
In its Stop The Beauty Test campaign, the company addresses a hindering “test of beauty” endured by Indian women. Its film follows real stories of beauty-based judgment and rejection faced by women during the matchmaking process, and how that might have largely crushed their self-esteem.
The advertisement features real conversations with women from India and captures raw situations in which these women are judged for not being “beautiful” enough. Participants share that they have been criticized by a suitor’s family due to their “flaws,” which include their weight, height, complexion, hair type, or something minute like a birthmark on their face.
It also emphasizes the unspoken impact this level of judgment has had on self-esteem and body confidence. Through Stop The Beauty Test, Dove delivers a powerful message: Society needs to stop putting women through an unjust beauty test.
“Dove believes that beauty should be a source of joy for women. For this intention to have meaning and start getting realized in our culture, we had to choose the moment that matters the most, to inspire change. This is a small step towards achieving the brand’s beautiful ambition of a world where women can enjoy the beauty on their terms,” said Ogilvy India’s vice-chairperson and chief client officer, Hephzibah Pathak.
“It is unfortunate that there is such intense pressure to adhere to one definition of beauty,” said Dove’s executive director, Priya Nair. “Dove has always believed that beauty should be a source of confidence, not anxiety.”
[via Ad Age, cover image via Dove India]
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