We sat down last Friday for a review of the Christmas campaign to be launched in December, which happens to be my campaign.
My Campaign. I really like saying that. Although I know that a hundred other hands are dipping into this project, working to death the nuts and bolts of it, I flatter myself that somehow I am the lead, and the one solely responsible for its success. Or failure.
In a rare lull in the meeting, Daisy, our head copywriter threw the question “What do you think of Dove’s Campaign for Real Beauty?”
Marian, my boss, who seems to be so out of touch with the world, with her kids and all, asked what it was. I explained that Dove’s campaign was concentrated on billboard exposure, some I’ve seen strewn along South Luzon Expressway. In each billboard is a picture of a woman with non-stereotypical attractions, and on the side of that picture is a question, the answer of one can vote for via the wonders of SMS. The results of the survey are updated on the billboard on a regular basis.
To further illustrate, another writer, hefty Veda, raised both her arms above her head, mimicking the seductive pose of one Dove model, and said, “Extra Large? Or Extra Sexy?”
Taking her cue from Veda, Daisy stood and arched her back, “Flat? Or Flattering?”
Everybody laughed. We were not expecting this from Daisy. She had been in a pressure cooker all week because of the work order changes mutating in her inbox.
After the laughs subsided, I said, “So far the score has been close. It’s almost a split down the middle – 42/58 or 49/51 for the two scoreboards I’ve seen for Aging or Ageless and Flat and Flattering. How disappointing that anyone could have the heart to vote for Aging or Flat? To think that the questions themselves were leading questions…”
“Overall,” interrupted Neecee, our events coordinator, “I like that campaign. The intentions are very noble. It’s an attempt to break the leading notions of what beauty should be. ”
Janice, a newly recruited brand manager, thought aloud, “Ha! I don’t think their intentions may be noble. Their intentions may in fact, be very sinister! This attempt to project a broader sense of beauty widens an opportunity -- they’re expanding their market share. They’re strengthening their positioning that their product is something that’s perfect for just about anyone, whether flat-chested or obese or a senior citizen. Not just the catwalk model types. They bring with them the promise that beauty is achievable however you look now.”
Spoken like a true marketer, I thought. She must have some regrets leaving Lever some years back. Or was that P & G?
“But I couldn’t resist saying that somehow, the campaign still has some disconnect,” I interjected. “It focuses on the different types of body conditions, such as fat or thin, ... something a product like Dove, chiefly a face product, does not address. It deflects the current issues or ‘notions’ on facial beauty – symmetry, perfect teeth, doe eyes…”
There wasn’t one person in the room who caught my drift.
“What I mean,” I hopelessly babbled on, “is that Dove is hypocritical in saying what Real Beauty is, because if you still look at all their faces on the billboards, Dove still picked the pretty ones. Inner Beauty doesn't matter at all.”
Janice looked at me quizzically. “Are you sure you’re working for the right people? We are, after all, a beauty company.”
Well, Janice, I thought. I don’t really know the answer to that.
posted by Elyss @ 1:16 PM
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