Dove campaign takes off with ‘real women’ up on the boards

Colette Keane on an ad campaign using ‘real women’, not models

Lever Faberge decided to use realistic images of women following research carried out for its Dove firming moisturiser, which found most women feel bad about their bodies because of images projected in beauty advertising.

The ad campaign on billboards, TV and posters starts this week and features six real women of various heights and sizes in various pieces of dodgy white underwear. The first billboard unveiled a buxom woman in an old-fashioned harness of a bra alongside the slogan: 'New Dove Firming. As tested on real curves.' "We wanted to produce images of real women that were aspirational as well as being attainable without using models or airbrushing techniques," said Jo Riley, brand action manager for Dove Firming.

Dove's survey found two-thirds of women are depressed about their figures and three-quarters wanted to see more realistic images of women in beauty product advertising.

Renée Zellweger in her role as Bridget Jones, Catherine Zeta Jones and Martine McCutcheon were named as the healthiest-looking role models in the media. While a thin Zellweger was rated far lower and Victoria Beckham was considered the least healthy celebrity.

Development director with eating disorder support group Bodywhys Barbara Doyle said while ads are not the sole reason people develop eating disorders, she welcomed any move that would encourage a positive self-image in young people.

"We are all subjected to this fat-phobic society where we are bombarded with this image of thinness. Some people internalise this feeling that to be thin is to be beautiful and if they want to fit in they have to be thin, no matter what," she said.

And it's not just 'real women' who suffer from envy-driven esteem issues. Model-turned-singer Caprice once told of passing a magazine stand and staring at the slim, slick, blonde on the front cover of one of the lad's mags and wishing she looked like her. But after a second look, she realised the cover girl was her. Her photo had been so airbrushed, with two ribs removed and legs lengthened, she didn't recognise herself.

John Holohan of the Institute of Advertising Practitioners in Ireland, however, points out, that Dove has been using 'real women' to advertise its products for years and are now just opting for larger women.

"Celebrity-based endorsement trades on the name or face of that celebrity to boost brand interest. When you use real people, it is the product that becomes the star,"

"Fashion is all about trends; there is always going to be plenty of work for models like Kate Moss. I would be very surprised if we ever see a Prada collection modelled by real women."

Bodywhys tel. :[phone].