Background:
Levina and I chose to analyze a commercial for Dove’s “Self-Esteem Fund.” (http://youtube.com/watch?v=u86OH9mTG2Y&mode=related&search=) which supports education programs that promote confidence, self-worth, and health body image in young people. It is part of Dove’s “Campaign for Real Beauty,” in which the company aims to redefine female beauty in a society saturated by unrealistic images of youth and perfection.
For more details on the Self-Esteem Fund, visit http://campaignforrealbeauty.com/dsef/temp2.asp?id=4196
What is the main argument of this ad?
This ad argues that the Dove Self-Esteem Fund can help teach girls with insecurities to love and accept themselves.
Who is the intended audience for this ad?
This ad primarily targets a female audience, particularly younger girls and their mothers.
What are the Appeals of the Ad?
When looking at this commercial by Dove and their self-esteem fund, one can say it’s obvious how they are using todays doxa to reach out. Doxa is the beliefs, opinion, prejudice, etc. that exists within a society. A doxa also contains values. Some values are about beauty and by being beautiful also meaning to be accepted. Young girls of today don’t feel good about themselves because of the demands about outer apperance. Dove says in the commercial: “let’s change their minds”, “because every girl deserves to feel good about herself.” In a way, Dove is trying to change our doxa by asserting that being beautiful does not necessarily entail blonde hair with a size 2 waistline.
The commercial is also kairos because the issue of body image is a very prominent topic today. Dove is taking advantage of the public’s increasing awareness of how the standard of beauty in popular culture is a completely artificial construct. Today, we are very conscious of the dangers of low-self esteem, including depression and eating disorders. Also, this particular ad features girls of many different racial backgrounds, reflecting the current demand for political correctness.
To reach out with the message about the self-esteem fund Dove are using young girls with worries and disgust for their own apperance. This is called evidentia and can be explained as evidence. One can say that Dove is using these girls as evidence. So that we can see with our own eyes their worries and that Dove cares.
Showing us these girls and letting us know how they feel about themselves is a use of pathos. They want to make us feel for them, and even remind us of how we feel about ourselves. For young girls with the same lack of self-confidence, as the ones in the commercial, it’s a certain way to be reached. They can identify themselves with these girls. The aesthetics of the commercial further contribute to the commercial’s pathos appeal. First, the background music is sung by a choir of young girls; their angelic voices complement the images of cute, wide-eyed children. The juxtaposition of such lovable images with words like “hates her freckles” creates quite a heartbreaking scenario. Also, the girls are looking straight out of the screen, directly at the viewer. The camera also zooms in on most of their faces. This makes the person watching the commercial feel more of an emotional connection. In addition, Dove chose a white background for certain frames of the commercial, as well as a soft, warm light quality, reflecting hope for the future.
The commercial uses logos to put forth its main argument. It claims that if the self esteem fund reaches young girls with insecurities and self-esteem issues, then those girls will change their minds and learn to accept themselves. Dove thereby offers a solution to help girls “see how beautiful she really is.”
The commercial gives Dove a strong corporate ethos, because Dove is trying to portray itself as an ethical company that takes responsibility for the image it projects to impressionable young girls.
Is this ad culturally specific?
To fully appreciate the commercial, one would have to be aware of its cultural context. In other words, this ad strongly alludes to the perceptions of beauty in American popular culture: young, skinny, blonde, and perfect. But it is universal as well, because insecurity about body image is not a culturally confined phenomenon. The commercial also reflects a society that considers girls’ self-image and self-worth important.
Furthermore, the background music for the commercial is a choral rendition of “True Colors,” a song by the 1980’s American singer Cyndi Lauper.
Is Dove convincing?
Well, I (Levina) believe so. Once I was a little girl and hated my freckles. They made me feel different. If I had seen this commercial about the self-esteem fund back then, I am rather sure it would have affected me in a positive way. I think they have a good and strong ethos for their audience mostly because of their use of pathos. But I must also give Dove credit for using kairos in a cultural context with this campaign. Today, as an adult, I’m asking myself questions like: Well, I like the idea of the real-beauty campaign and making girls feel better about themselves, but do they really care or is this only a marketing strategy with a skilled use of rhetoric? I guess a little bit of both. But still, they have made a good effort to be convincing.
I (Yao) have a more sceptical opinion of the Dove ad. Dove has it right that young girls’ self esteem needs to be nurtured, but how exactly is a “Self-Esteem Fund” going to accomplish that? I agree with Levina that the commercial raises doubts about Dove’s motives. Dove might be taking advantage of the growing backlash against skinny models and surgically altered movie stars to boost its company, but they deserve credit for choosing such a timely campaign. In terms of pathos, I would say the commercial did well, but its logic is unclear. I believe that the ad was most successful in contributing to Dove’s corporate ethos.
