VS.

Dove has centered its advertising campaigns on criticizing the beauty industry for giving unrealistic expectations of beauty.  In the popular “Evolution” video, Dove showed how Photoshop can transform a woman’s face to have model looks by manipulating the image to have a slimmer face, exaggerated lips and doe eyes.  The Dove has also launched the “Campaign for Real Beauty” which is an educational program to build self-esteem in young woman.  The video’s caption reads: “Dove invites all women to join us in creating a world where beauty is a source of confidence, not anxiety.”

However, Unilever has been criticized for the hypocrisy of Dove’s advertising campaigns, as the company also owns the Axe brand. Axe has been accused of having sexist themes in its advertisements. The ads are used to endorse the idea that if a man uses Axe products, he will become more attractive to women. In its Superbowl ad this year, a handsome lifeguard rescues a helpless woman from a shark attack, but she ends up leaving the lifeguard when a male astronaut turns up. The ad was designed to promote the launch of Axe’s Apollo products, which is promoted by a contest promising to send 22 winners to space. The contest’s tagline reads: “Leave a man; return a hero”. This gives the impression that only men can enter the contest, despite the fact that officially, women are welcome to enter. This has most definitely ruffled some feathers, considering that there is a gender gap in scientific careers. Others argue that because Axe is a men’s brand, it is acceptable that the contest would be open to only male competitors. However, despite any sexism present, the ads have been undeniably successful, making Axe the market leader in its category.

Unilever has delivered very different and conflicting messages about women, and the inconsistency of its message devalues the legitimacy of the Dove “Campaign for Real Beauty”.  Unilever has dismissed the Axe advertisements as simply joking and “not to be taken literally”. But undoubtedly, the hypocrisy of Unilever’s ad campaigns makes the consumer question if Dove’s objective of building self-esteem in women is truly sincere.

Sources:

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/industry-news/marketing/whats-behind-the-culture-of-photoshop-in-advertising/article10111740/

http://www.forbes.com/sites/mahaatal/2013/02/04/axes-super-bowl-ad-fail-when-sexism-doesnt-sell/

http://seattletimes.com/html/living/2004050655_axeads03.html

15 years of Axe Effect: the world’s most sexist advertising campaign

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=omBfg3UwkYM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0rSY7zpINa4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WWpNTNjyzr8