Dove Recruits Real Women for Campaign
For the first time, any woman who uploads a photo revealing her skin can take part in Dove’s “Show Us Your Skin” campaign in support of Dove Body Washes and Beauty Bars. The images will be incorporated into online ads and a billboard in New York’s famous Times Square.
Additionally, beauty expert Jenn Falik has joined forces with the Unilever brand to encourage women to have the confidence to participate in the brand’s largest campaign featuring real women. “I love sharing my beauty tips, and how to get soft and smooth skin is such an important one,” noted Falik. “I believe when women look and feel their best, they will have the confidence to show it off, and Dove is giving them a national stage to do just that.”
As the kickoff to the campaign, women who visited Dove’s Real Beauty Photo Studio in New York on April 19-21 to have a photo taken by professional photographers were featured in real time on a Times Square billboard and an online gallery. At the studio, women could also receive advice on preparing for the photo shoot and take home product samples.
For the photos, women 18 years old and up should wear a towel, tank top, pair of shorts or a dress that tastefully shows off their skin. Photos submitted beyond the kickoff event will be viewable within three to five days of submission due to the moderation process.
“We have been featuring real women in our ads for over 50 years, and we are always looking for new and innovative ways to build upon that heritage,” said Rob Candelino, VP brand building, Unilever Skincare at Englewood Cliffs, N.J.-based Unilever USA. “Times Square is a palette millions of people see every day, so it is only natural we would take on transforming it into a canvas of real women’s beautiful skin.”
Through Aug. 1, Women can download their photos on Dove’s website or Facebook page. An e-mail will go to every participant with a snapshot of their “moment of fame” on a Times Square billboard so they can share it with family and friends. Women can search for photos in the gallery by entering a name, location or e-mail address. Dove is also employing innovative technology that enables women to make their photos appear live in the digital ads by using the search feature within each ad.
Dove urges even those women who are camera-shy can take part in the campaign through such activities as viewing the photo entries and tweeting @Dove telling the brand when their skin feels its most beautiful using hashtag #BeautifulSkin.