Dove’s 2004 campaign challenging conventional beauty advertising was the “Campaign for Real Beauty.” Unilever launched it for the Dove brand with advertising developed by Ogilvy & Mather.
The campaign used women of varied ages, body shapes, and appearances instead of relying only on conventional fashion models. Billboard and print executions invited viewers to judge whether the women looked “wrinkled or wonderful” or “fat or fab,” turning the audience into participants in the advertising message.
The campaign helped make body image and representation major subjects in mainstream marketing. It also attracted criticism over the tension between its inclusive message and Dove’s corporate ownership, as well as debates about whether the imagery still imposed carefully managed beauty standards.