Jess Weiner and the Dove Real Beauty Campaign: Selling Feminism for Profit or Social Change?

Abstract

Dove Beauty launched their Real Beauty Campaign in 2004, becoming one of the first brands to base their identity on ‘femvertisements.’ Jess Weiner, CEO of Talk to Jess, a consulting firm that helps companies engage in more inclusive marketing, became an architect of the campaign and spearheaded the Dove Self-Esteem Project as part of the Real Beauty Campaign. The Real Beauty Campaign started national conversations around beauty ideals and kickstarted trends of employing socially relevant issues in marketing. It also faced its share of criticism, ranging from performative activism to instances of racism in its marketing. The Real Beauty Campaign set a precedent for a new age of Corporate Social Responsibility and made Dove Beauty one of the most socially and financially successful beauty brands in the world.