How Dove gets real with its audience

I have to admire Dove for its consistent efforts over the past few years in helping women to see their inner beauty. The latest ad takes this campaign to a new level, with depth and emotional power that can’t help but make you appreciate the brand.

Dove Real Beauty Sketches is a three-minute documentary covering an experiment where women are asked to describe themselves to a police sketch artist. Then someone else they had gotten to know describes them to the same artist. Finally, they review the differences in the two sketches and see the significant gap between their self-image and the way others see them. Realizing how they have short-changed their lives leaves some of them in tears.

The story is powerful and moving, a terrific use of the video medium focused on Dove’s core brand distinction that real beauty comes from within and that every woman already has it, no matter what she looks like on the outside. One of the best ads you’ll see.