LENS: DOVE
Dove has released a new video campaign to combat the toxic beauty advice young women are exposed to online, after research found 80% of girls would like their parents to talk to them about idealised beauty posts. The film shows these harmful narratives being spoken by a mother to their daughter using face mapping technology, to show how damaging and isolating this content can be.
Research from the ‘Dove Self-Esteem Project’ revealed that two in thirds of young women in the US spend over an hour on social media, which equates to more time than they spend in-person with friends. It also found that 50% of girls say idealised beauty content on social media causes low self-esteem.
Dove decided to take action and show that seven in ten girls felt better after unfollowing idealised beauty content on social media. This video continues the brand’s work to support its community and demonstrate a genuine commitment to the mental wellbeing of its customers.
“We’ve identified a clear problem that is eroding the self-esteem of our girls and needs immediate attention and action. We created this #DetoxYourFeed campaign to not only raise awareness around the insidious nature of toxic beauty advice, but to also help parents navigate tough conversations and empower teens to unfollow content that makes them feel bad about themselves, while it may be a bit overwhelming at times, we hope it will contribute to important conversations that lead to a more positive experience for teens on social media,” says Leandro Barreto, global vice president of Dove.
The ‘Toxic Influence’ film shows mothers and teenagers daughters talking about the harmful beauty advice on social media. It highlights dangerous topics such as the promotion of elective beauty treatments and weight loss methods. The mothers were visibly surprised to learn that this type of harmful advice has become normalised for their daughters.
Through a series of films, educational content and partnerships with inspiring voices, Dove is working to encourage conversations between parents, caregiver and teens about the dangers of toxic beauty advice.
Dove released a “Detox Your Feed: The Parents Guide,” a three-minute educational film for parents, caregivers and mentors on facilitating conversations with young people about the harms of social media. It also created a “Confidence Kit” with a practical workbook and tools guide.
“This campaign is important as public discourse grows around the harmful effects social media can have on girls. It contextualizes the insidious nature of harmful beauty advice that’s become normalized in teens’ feeds. While it might feel harmless, given half of girls say social media causes low self-esteem, ongoing exposure has the potential to have a negative and lasting impact,” adds Nadia Addesi, registered social worker & psychotherapist.
