Dove Promotes Authentic Beauty Over AI Imagery in New Campaign
Celebrating two decades of its ‘Real Beauty’ initiative, Dove, a Unilever personal care brand, has announced a pledge to forego the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in its advertising and communications. The brand revealed this commitment alongside its new “The Code” film, emphasizing the issue with AI’s portrayal of women.
Over the course of the film, women channel the melancholic notes of “Pure Imagination” from “Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory,” posing prompts to AI regarding the concept of beauty. The responses, showcasing unrealistic and manipulated images, highlight the contrast between technology’s output and Dove’s view of diverse beauty.
Understanding the risk posed by generative AI on genuine beauty representations, Dove has formulated the “Real Beauty Prompt Guidelines” to ensure diversity in AI-created images. To enhance the campaign’s visibility, Dove has enlisted the support of celebrity ambassadors like Reba McEntire and Drew Barrymore, among others.
In its press statement, Dove identified AI as a potent threat to the depiction of real beauty, distinct from the digitally altered images it has combated over the last two decades. The video featured women inputting phrases such as “a gorgeous woman” into an AI tool, only to be met with hyper-perfect, cartoon-like results. These outcomes serve as stark reminders of AI tools’ potential harm.
All AI imagery presented in the commercial was produced using actual generative AI tools by Soko, an independent agency from Brazil, which took the lead on the global marketing initiative. Dove seeks to differentiate itself from other beauty competitors by promising not to replace real women with AI-generated models in advertising, stressing the amplified risk AI poses to the already vulnerable trust on the internet.
The company’s research suggests that 90% of women have encountered harmful beauty content online. Furthermore, Dove highlights a prediction that by 2025, AI may generate 90% of online content, indicating a significant increase in potentially deceptive beauty standards.
Dove’s Chief Marketing Officer asserts their dedication to a future where women, not algorithms, define and declare true beauty. He emphasizes the company’s commitment to guarding, celebrating, and supporting real beauty amidst the challenges and opportunities of emerging technologies. Dove’s resolve to abstain from AI in its communications symbolizes their ongoing pursuit to transform beauty into a source of happiness rather than anxiety.
As generative AI’s prevalence grows, Dove acknowledges the complex landscape but firmly guides the conversation with comprehensive guidelines that aim to influence enthusiastic AI users in a positive direction. Despite progress in expanding the definition of beauty since 2004, Dove acknowledges that the journey is far from complete, revealing in its report produced with Edelman’s DXI that many women still invest considerable time to meet their ideal look, based on extensive research in over 20 countries.
Key Questions and Answers:
Q: Why has Dove taken a stance against using AI-generated images in their advertising?
A: Dove has taken this stance to maintain their commitment to promoting real beauty, as they believe AI-generated images can contribute to unrealistic beauty standards that may harm women’s body image.
I: What are the Real Beauty Prompt Guidelines mentioned in the article?
A: The Real Beauty Prompt Guidelines are formulated by Dove to ensure that AI-created images encompass diversity and do not perpetuate harmful beauty ideals.
Q: Who are some of the celebrity ambassadors supporting Dove’s campaign?
A: Reba McEntire and Drew Barrymore are among the celebrity ambassadors enlisted by Dove to enhance the visibility of the campaign.
Q: What does Dove’s research suggest about the impact of online content on women’s perception of beauty?
A: Dove’s research suggests that 90% of women have encountered harmful beauty content online, which can have a negative impact on their perception of beauty and self-esteem.
Key Challenges or Controversies:
One challenge is the sheer scale of AI-generated content, with the prediction that AI may generate 90% of online content by 2025. Dove’s stand against AI in advertising could influence other brands, but it also runs counter to the trend of leveraging AI in marketing and customer engagement.
Controversy stems from the balance between harnessing AI for creativity and efficiency versus the impact AI-created images have on societal beauty standards. Generative AI can produce vast quantities of images quickly and at low cost, tempting brands to adopt the technology despite potential negative consequences.
Advantages and Disadvantages:
Advantages of Dove’s commitment to real beauty include fostering a more inclusive and realistic representation of women, combating harmful beauty standards, and bolstering trust with consumers by promoting authenticity.
Disadvantages might involve missing out on the cost-efficiency and innovation that AI can offer in creating advertising content. Over time, as AI technology becomes more sophisticated, Dove’s stance might also put the brand at a competitive disadvantage if the market heavily shifts towards AI-created content.
Related Links:
To learn more about Dove and its Real Beauty campaign, visit: Unilever.
Please note that the use of generative AI tools in advertising and communications is an evolving topic, and this answer is based on the information available up to the current knowledge cutoff in 2023.