Dove's Self-Esteem Campaign

“Today this is really all about you guys.” In the opening statements of the self-esteem workshop, Dove establishes their main purpose: to make girls feel better about themselves, to convince girls everywhere that they are beautiful, no matter what their shape or size. But how does Dove go about undertaking such a daunting task as repairing the fragile self-image of girls everywhere? Through the use of Dove’s interactive website, Dove is able to reach out to girls and tell them just how important they are. One aspect of Dove’s website is their workshop videos, in which the viewer can observe an online version of an actual self-esteem workshop hosted by Jess Weiner, a self-esteem expert. Through the use of ethos, pathos and logos, Dove is able to effectively convince the audience of their self-worth.

Jess begins the workshop by establishing her position of authority. She is a self-esteem expert as well as a global ambassador for the Dove Self-Esteem Fund. Those titles elevate Jess to a position of authority, one who knows all about self-esteem issues from a corporate standpoint. By those titles alone, viewers might assume that Jess is a powerful figure in the Dove company, without much contact with the actual consumers. That assumption could not be farther from the truth. Jess travels around the world, talking to girls about the importance of self-esteem and ways in which they can improve their own self-esteem. Not only does Jess establish a position of authority for herself, she relates to the girls on a personal level. During her conversation with the girls, she says, “At the place right now where everybody’s at, what your friends think about you is really important.” This comment shows that she understands what issues the girls are facing. Furthermore, to show that she is less of an adult and more of a peer, Jess talks about her experiences growing up. “I went through a whole lot of different things when I was 11 to 17.” Although she is not too specific about her experiences, she lets the girls know that she has been where they are and she understands their concerns. Additionally, Jess uses an informal, conversational approach when she talks to the girls. The setting is casual and encourages the girls to honestly share their feelings. Jess also uses words like “cool” and “super-duper” when talking to the girls, which makes her seem more like one of their peers, as opposed to an adult. The girls all respond positively to the tone of the workshop, as shown by their willingness to answer questions and freely speak their minds.

Visuals also help to establish the credibility of the workshop. Located behind Jess is the Dove Self-Esteem Fund logo. This logo shows that the campaign is a legitimate one, with a real purpose. The logo itself contains a message. The light blue color is feminine, yet not overly so. This makes the logo appealing to all girls no matter how “girly” they may be. It is also significant that the logo contains three doves, giving the subliminal message that girls are not alone in their search for higher self-esteem. Also, the fact that the doves are of three different sizes shows the acceptability of all body types. Not only do the visuals help to establish the theme of the campaign, but the way in which the workshop is conducted shows how important self-esteem is to Dove.

“You guys are super-duper smart!” Would you expect those words to come out of the mouth of the global ambassador of a multi-million dollar corporation? In any other setting, they would seem out of place, but in the causal self-esteem workshop they fit right in. The emotional appeals made in Dove’s campaign are ubiquitous. Jess begins the workshop by introducing herself and expressing her excitement for the workshop session. Her mere presence exudes energy, and that energy rubs off on the girls in attendance. It is obvious that Jess has a passion for what she is talking about and honestly wants to make a positive change in the lives of others. The workshop setting is conducive to conversation, typically following the pattern of Jess asking a general question and then eliciting responses from the girls. When the girls respond to Jess’ questions, she is attentive and recaps what they have said at the end of their response. This shows that Jess is interested in what the girls have to say. The effectiveness of this approach is easily shown by the positive response of the audience. Each girl readily participates in the group discussion and takes an active part in answering questions. Jess shows that she is emotionally invested in the topic by expressing her empathy with what challenges young girls are facing. When the group is talking about issues the girls face, she shows her sorrow at how the media has had such a negative impact on young girls. Through emotional appeals, Jess is able to be an effective mediator for the workshop session.

What would a self-esteem workshop be without a “self-esteem expert”? Jess Weiner is a vital part of Dove’s campaign. Her manner radiates a genuine love for her work and the girls she interacts with. Her very appearance reflects a professional yet friendly demeanor. She is well-dressed, beautifully made up and happy—a perfect role model for young girls seeking to improve their self-esteem. It is important to note that Dove has not chosen a skinny blonde to be their ambassador, but a real woman with curves and dark hair. By her appearance alone, Jess shows that she doesn’t fit the world’s definition of “picture perfect” beauty, yet is still gorgeous in her own way. In addition to her appearance, Jess’s manner shows that she relates to the girls. When she calls on the girls, she knows them each by name. Merely remembering someone’s name takes effort and tells them that they are worth remembering. She also tries to involve some of the quieter girls by asking them directly what they think about a certain issue. The questions that Jess asks show that she does know what they are going through. During the workshop she relates to the girls by saying, “For a lot of girls, the first thing that I ever hear is that they’re not happy with the way that they look…and then I think would come friend problems and then would come boy problems. Would you agree?” This question is met with scattered laughter from the girls, showing that she is quite right. Not only are her questions pertinent, but they require the girls to think about important issues. Because of her professional training, she is able to guide the discussion and incorporate what the girls are saying into what she is trying to teach. Jess’ appearance, manner and method of interacting with the girls shows that she cares about each girl and wants to help them improve their self-esteem.

Jess’s workshop is just a small part of Dove’s Self-Esteem campaign. The overall theme of the website is similar to the workshop, as a girl you are important and we want you to have high self-esteem. When you first go to Dove’s homepage, you find something called a “Self-Esteem Wall”. This wall allows girls to give their definition of beauty, such as Sarah from North Carolina who knows she’s “beautiful when [she is] smiling.” This simple message board allows girls to feel connected with other girls in their same situation. By looking at what others have said, the reader cannot help but feel uplifted too. Because this message board is the first thing viewers see, girls are reminded that they are the most important part of this campaign.

Dove’s Self-Esteem campaign is designed to help young girls improve their self-esteem. This ambitious goal is publicized through Dove’s use of the internet, specifically videos targeted to help girls improve their self- image. Dove’s online self-esteem workshop and their website in general are designed to help girls improve their self-image. Through their use of rhetoric, Dove is able to reach a wide variety of young girls, positively impacting their lives forever.