Over the past decade, Dove has established itself as a brand that initiates conversation about real beauty and self-esteem. It latest long-form spot, "Legacy," at less than three minutes, is shorter than other recent Dove films, but it drives the point home: How girls feel about their beauty starts with how their mothers about theirs.
In the film, made by Ogilvy Paris, five women are asked to write two lists: what they like and don't like about the way they look. Then their daughters are asked the same questions, and we watch the mothers read their daughters' lists.
The mothers' reactions are particularly fascinating—they're restrained but disheartened. "Oh, she said her legs, too." The women realize their daughters are picking up on their complaints about their bodies and making them their own.
The ending is lovely, as the girls point out the things they do like about their bodies. Early in the film, one mother says, "I believe that the fact that I smile a lot has a lot to do with why my skin stays nice." And at the end, her daughter follows up with, "I like my face, because it is smiley."
"Whether a mother, aunt, coach, teacher or sister, all women can set a positive example for the next generation by expressing their own beauty with confidence," says Jennifer Bremner, director of marketing at Dove. "Dove has long been dedicated to fostering positive self-esteem in women and girls, and we invite all women to join us in making a difference to the next generation by ensuring their own beauty legacy is a positive one."
Dove kicks off the 5th Annual Self-Esteem Weekend at the United Nations on Oct. 9.
CREDITS
Client: Dove
Agency: Ogilvy Paris