Breakthrough
advertising is built on big ideas. The Dove Campaign for Real
Beauty is perhaps the best model in the industry today of how
a big idea can transform a brand, build a community of fans, and
embrace diversity of thought, images and experiences.
The
Challenge
In
2004, after interviewing over 3,000 women around the globe, Dove
discovered that the majority of women felt the media portrayed
unrealistic standards of beauty, and that the beauty industry
was out of synch with women’s attitudes towards their own
personal beauty.
The
Idea
In
order to change this, Dove decided to be bold. The idea was as
simple as it was groundbreaking: take real women (no models),
ask them to use the product, and shoot the results without retouching
or manipulating the images.
The
first program to implement this big idea was a campaign for Dove
Firming Lotion in Europe. Press coverage throughout the UK, France,
Germany and the Netherlands was overwhelming. Qualitative feedback
included the following:
“Thank
God people like me in an ad.”
“She’s great, happy and proud of her curves.”
“This is a positive revolution in advertising. I know that
‘revolution’ is a strong word but I mean it.”
After
this initial success, Ogilvy rolled out the global Campaign for
Real Beauty, which has reached women in 40 countries as of August
2006.
Execution
Website:
Campaignforrealbeauty.com is the spiritual home of the campaign
where users can engage in a global debate on beauty.
Mobile:
an electronic billboard in Times Square allowed people to text
message their response to a beauty question posed by Dove and
see their vote counted instantly in the debate.
Beyond Compare: an international photography exhibit featuring
the work of female photographers, who were asked to submit one
photo that best represented the real face of beauty.
The
Dove Self Esteem Fund: created as an agent of change to educate
girls and inspire them with a wider definition of beauty. Local
charities that have benefited from the fund include:
Girl Scouts of the USA
The National Eating Disorder Information Centre
Kenniscentrum Eetstornisen – a charity in the Netherlands
that fights eating disorders
Body Talk – a workshop developed in the UK to help children
understand and deal with feelings about their physical appearance
IBM
IBM
has long been considered a leader in technological innovation
- a label it proudly wears. IBM has not, however, managed to garner
the same level of recognition for its innovative employment, workforce
and social responsibility policies.
Ogilvy
was challenged to:
1) Drive awareness of IBM's heritage in diversity initiatives
2) Reinforce and expand positive opinions about IBM
3) Attract new people to the brand
IBM
is a company ahead of its time, not only in terms of developing
business solutions, but in terms of its commitment to the ethics
and integrity of business itself. This includes a genuine belief
in the importance of a diverse workplace.
And
there’s no better or plainer proof of this than the document
at the center of this video, a letter written by the president
of IBM affirming the company’s practice of hiring without
regard to race, color or creed.
Now,
there’s nothing unusual about language on corporate letterhead
reiterating an equal opportunity hiring policy.
But
one dated 1953 – 11 years before the Civil Rights Act was
passed – is without precedent.
And,
as read by IBM’s employees in this video, TJ Watson’s
words are a simple and compelling testament to the legacy that
has helped make IBM the success it is today.
