Wednesday 3 October 2007

Dove campaign

Talk to your daughter before the beauty industry does.

I first came across the French version of this and discovered that although the videos are the same, the Campaign for Real Beauty sites are slightly different for each country.

My first thought is to feel it's sorely needed here where every pharmacy (and there are almost as many as there are hairdressers) bombards you with window displays containing a multitude of different means to lose weight - most of which seem to me to border on quackery.

My second thought was that you have to convince the parents first. If the pharmacies are stocking these products, there must be a demand for them.

And my third thought was to wonder about pharmacy distribution around the world. I don't know what it's like in other countries but when we were recently in Amsterdam we had trouble finding a chemist, as it probably would be in the UK if you didn't know what to look for. .


In France you have them on almost every street corner and as they always display a large green cross, you can't miss them.

A somewhat rambling post - I feel rambly today it seems (tired really, after a couple of late nights talking to friends).

6 comments:

  1. First of all, love your blog, can't remember how I found it, though feel have met a wiser kindred spirit.Anyway,am a peripheral member of a network for professional women in my area, in the vain hope of finding something to do other than read blogs ;-) The assoc's been dormant for a little while as no one had the spare time to administrate, however the first meeting this year - le relooking, and how to make use of your emotions in the workplace. Can I be the only one who's screaming?
    j

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  2. a.,
    there was a thread on another blog about this campaign several months ago. It was prompted by the Dove Pro-Age ads, which feature nude photos (no genitalia showing) of older women. They are actually pretty good pictures.
    While it's a good message to get across to girls, I have to confess to some cynicism about the purity of intent of the 'health&beauty products' company that is sponsoring it.

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  3. anonymous j: my goodness, wiser, thank you!! And thank you for enjoying my blog. Your network sounds ... interesting. Keep screaming, you'll get there.

    janeway, yes I think it was the redoubtable figleaf (or was that about the transformation video?). I share your cynicism, their motives start to suface if you look through their site(s) but I do like this particular message.

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  4. I couldn't agree with you more! The world has gone crazy and I feel pity for the once that doesn't understand that the beauty comes from the inside. But then again this is big industry and now we hear that everything can be bought - even happiness. Its simply sad.

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  5. Yes.yes.Yes.. I've been angry about this sort of stuff ever since i was a 4yo and was very strong at protesting against it during my uni days. The worst advertisements in my opinion, are the ones designed by other women. They claim it's "empowering" but a whole load of shite to me and i don't stop sticking the finger to the industry with my own versions of fun & empowerment for women who prefer the messages relayed in the Dove campaign.

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  6. Rennyba and aka r'acquel, thank you both for your comments and agreement.

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Forethoughts, afterthoughts, any thoughts. Tell me.

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