Wk 2 Analysis: Brands & The Human Connection/ Curating 3

Dove Beauty Sketches

“You’re More Beautiful Than You Think”, was a video produced by Dove that took the internet by storm back in 2013. It was a very successful ad campaign because it was beautifully shot, had really emotional music, but it also touched on a very prominent and important message about women within society. 

This video was meant to touch women of all ages. Although the women in the video were adult females possibly between the ages of 25-45, the message can still clearly resonate with teens and young adults too. Today women are habitually chopped down to small versions of who they are by others, which makes them think less of themselves altogether. Through this video, women were able to get a chance at really seeing themselves through the eyes of strangers, and not the mainstream media or society at large. Multiple women were sat down, and asked questions about their features, where the man asking the questions would then sketch what he was hearing. Then someone else would come in, and respond to the same prompts about the previous woman. We got to hear from all of the participants, and listen to the way they described themselves and others, including some male participants.

The video itself was shot beautifully, with each scene staying on the screen for a few seconds at a time. Almost every moment was a moving shot with the camera panning, zooming in/out, or even the subject moving. Many shots were close ups, allowing the viewer to see each characteristic that the various women were talking about, as well as how that came to appear on the man’s sketch. There were a few setting shots which allowed the viewer to see where they were, which was in a really spacious flat, with tons of natural lighting and simple furniture. And the music that was playing was a simple, melodic, and slow piano tune. It helped to set the pace, and allow what they were saying, and the emotion to be really brought out and connect to the audience.

What I also love about this video is how the product itself is never mentioned. The company message for Dove, is to love the skin you’re in, to treat it well, and that “real beauty” is universal among all women. The message of this video was an extension of that and that you are beautiful regardless of what you tell yourself. It was amazing to see that the video is about the message and not about the product. It’s like the company was saying, this is real, this is how you should see yourself, and we want to help you get there. And ultimately, regardless of the brand and product, it’s not necessary for it to be in the video and as a viewer you don’t need to buy it.

            I believe that it's because of all of this that the video was able to gain so much success globally, and to gain millions of views. It shows that curating a strong and emotional connection to the subject and the audience can go a long way, particularly on a subject as widely criticized as the female image in media and culture. With media platforms such as youtube and Facebook, video sharing is instant, and allows for the material to reach other users on other platforms directly. And with other sites such a twitter, viewers alike can connect and respond to the material with each other, and with the company. All of this only helped to fuel the campaigns success.

            I personally will take quite a few things away from this video as a media specialist. Nurturing the emotions and ability to touch an audience in both humor and in drama is essential. This video showed me that multimedia advertising can be one of the most successful forms, and that no detail is too small to create an impact.