Comments on: The truth about Dove’s real beauty http://learningtheropes.wordpress.com/2008/05/15/the-truth-about-doves-real-beauty/ A commentary on the journey of a new PR Professional Sun, 08 Mar 2009 01:10:32 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: Carrie http://learningtheropes.wordpress.com/2008/05/15/the-truth-about-doves-real-beauty/#comment-84 Carrie Mon, 02 Mar 2009 06:31:38 +0000 http://learningtheropes.wordpress.com/?p=37#comment-84 Don't get mad at Pascal Dangin who was just doing a job he was paid to do. Get mad at Dove which has apparently convinced a lot of women it really does care about challenging the beauty norms. The Campaign for Real Beauty is about selling soap, period. To make itself stand out from the competition, Dove pretends to have a social conscience. But although they are paying lip service to "real beauty," the executives know very well they will not sell many products if their models are shown with their wrinkles and cellulite untouched. So they cynically hired an expert photographer to make the models appear to be "natural." The only thing Dangin did wrong was speak too openly about the amount of retouching he did. If you think what he did was an insult to the dignity of "real women" everywhere, again, the real culprit is Dove who directed him to alter the hell out of the pictures until they were just "natural" enough. Don’t get mad at Pascal Dangin who was just doing a job he was paid to do. Get mad at Dove which has apparently convinced a lot of women it really does care about challenging the beauty norms. The Campaign for Real Beauty is about selling soap, period. To make itself stand out from the competition, Dove pretends to have a social conscience. But although they are paying lip service to “real beauty,” the executives know very well they will not sell many products if their models are shown with their wrinkles and cellulite untouched. So they cynically hired an expert photographer to make the models appear to be “natural.” The only thing Dangin did wrong was speak too openly about the amount of retouching he did. If you think what he did was an insult to the dignity of “real women” everywhere, again, the real culprit is Dove who directed him to alter the hell out of the pictures until they were just “natural” enough.

]]> By: Christine Smith http://learningtheropes.wordpress.com/2008/05/15/the-truth-about-doves-real-beauty/#comment-71 Christine Smith Fri, 13 Jun 2008 16:03:20 +0000 http://learningtheropes.wordpress.com/?p=37#comment-71 Rhonda: really enjoyed reading your post. One of America's most famous women, Oprah Winfrey, looks quite thinner and younger on most of the covers of her magazine then she does on her television show. I think she's been taken to task for this; but, as you point out: what ad, magazine shot, etc. hasn't been retouched in some way? As a middle-aged women, I wouldn't want a photographer to make me look thinner, but, I always like my hair to look great, so, that can be retouched any time! Rhonda: really enjoyed reading your post.

One of America’s most famous women, Oprah Winfrey, looks quite thinner and younger on most of the covers of her magazine then she does on her television show. I think she’s been taken to task for this; but, as you point out: what ad, magazine shot, etc. hasn’t been retouched in some way?

As a middle-aged women, I wouldn’t want a photographer to make me look thinner, but, I always like my hair to look great, so, that can be retouched any time!

]]> By: staffeen thompson http://learningtheropes.wordpress.com/2008/05/15/the-truth-about-doves-real-beauty/#comment-65 staffeen thompson Fri, 16 May 2008 03:46:03 +0000 http://learningtheropes.wordpress.com/?p=37#comment-65 Wow, his eloquence is beyond words. I think it's taken society (and the ad-makers) quite a while to understand this shift in image. For so many years, the average woman was depicted so unrealistically, it's still difficult for people to grasp that, this 'new look' for women - IS the real woman and has been for many, many years. Accept it already, what's the big deal? His flippancy regarding this - may just have cost him his reputation. But does he really care? That is the question. Wow, his eloquence is beyond words. I think it’s taken society (and the ad-makers) quite a while to understand this shift in image. For so many years, the average woman was depicted so unrealistically, it’s still difficult for people to grasp that, this ‘new look’ for women – IS the real woman and has been for many, many years. Accept it already, what’s the big deal?

His flippancy regarding this – may just have cost him his reputation. But does he really care? That is the question.

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