To mark 20 years of ‘Real Beauty,’ Dove pledges not to use AI in ads
The campaign marks the two decades that the Unilever brand has advocated for ‘Real Beauty’ and this ad shows the importance of redefining what that looks like as technology progresses.
Dove reckons that by 2025, 90% of the content people see online will have been generated by artificial intelligence. This shocking statistic is the first line in the latest ad from its ‘Self-Esteem Project’ – and boy, does it grab your attention.
In the new spot by Brazilian independent agency Soko, the toiletries brand is highlighting biases with computer-generated photographs and redefining what beauty looks like in the digital age. It’s a topic Dove knows well and we’ve seen it done brilliantly with campaigns such as ‘Cost of Beauty.’ This latest attempt is no exception.
Like those others, central to this campaign is the detrimental effects that ‘perfect’ images can have on people’s mental health and self-worth. In the ad, Dove poignantly reveals that one in three women feel pressure to change their appearance because of what they see online.
Yet what sets this campaign apart is its proactive approach to the issue. Rather than rejecting AI, Dove hopes to empower the audience who might be curious about the technology with alternative prompts that promote diversity in digital representations of beauty.
By acknowledging the inevitability of AI’s presence in our lives, Dove is once again opening important conversations around beauty standards, be it online or offline. There’s a true call-to-action feel with this ad and it's one that people may even want to share with friends or family.