In recent days, a friend shared a film on social media. It is heartbreakingly sad, and important, titled “Cost of Beauty: A Dove Film/ Dove Self Esteem Project”. Maybe you’ve seen it and cried over it yourself. I’m posting the link at the end.
My Grandma Schelle used Dove, and so did I on overnights there. It’s in my daughter-in-law’s bathroom now. It’s most famous as a moisturizing Beauty Bar, containing 1/4 cleansing cream.
In 2004 Dove began its Campaign for Real Beauty, followed by the Dove Self Esteem Fund in 2006. On their web site, a statement says, in part, “for over a decade, we’ve been working to make beauty a source of confidence, not anxiety”.
This is a very good marketing idea, and makes me want to go get a Beauty Bar immediately.
I looked up its origin and found out (from Wikipedia) that Vincent Lambertie invented it as an American chemist working for Lever Brothers. Dove soap was introduced on March 8, 1957. Unilever now owns Dove Soap Company.
Here’s something I wrote on 10-23-2010:
On the Dove Campaign For Girls
A friend sent me a link, which was an ad by Dove about Media’s message to young women on how to be more beautiful. At the end, it says, “Talk to your daughters before the media does.”
It made me think of my own impressionable preteen and young teen years. Back then, in the 1960’s, I was so impressed by London fashion and beauty. The Beatles were big! So was Yardley of London cosmetics, Twiggy, and British fashions. Seventeen magazine was a favorite, with its many, many ads.
I remember tearing one out of Lauren Hutton in a bikini and scotch taping it to the fridge. It was meant as inspiration and incentive to keep me from reaching in to the refrigerator too often.
Plus, I admired Ms. Hutton for her famous desire to keep the space between her top two front teeth. Just like mine.
Getting back to the Dove campaign, I remember my mother talking to me, before and after media exposure.
Some of the things she said, re-inforcing our inner, personal beauty (something ad campaigns can never give us) were:
“Always wear a smile.”
“Boys like clean soap smells, not so much cologne!” Ambush, Tabu, and Emeraude were my favorites to douse myself in.
“Don’t kiss your boyfriend in the middle of the day, in front of the house.” “I didn’t. He kissed me,” I responded.
And, she took down my Lauren Hutton bikini pic. It was too revealing for a family kitchen.
All good lessons for young women.
Here is the video that reinspired this post: It’s titled, “Cost of Beauty: A Dove Film/Dove Self Esteem Project”.
Remember your Spirit,
Shirley
On Writing, On Life 