Key facts
| Brand | Dove (Unilever) |
| Year | April 2013 |
| Agency | Ogilvy & Mather (Brazil) |
| Sketch artist | Gil Zamora, FBI-trained forensic artist |
| Campaign | Part of the “Campaign for Real Beauty” |
| Awards | Titanium Grand Prix and two Gold Lions at Cannes 2013 |
What is it about and how was it made?
A forensic sketch artist draws women twice: from their own description and from a stranger’s description. The second portraits tend to look kinder. The message: women often see themselves more harshly than others do.
After its own research Ogilvy & Mather hired Gil Zamora, who according to reports has drawn more than 3,000 forensic sketches. The film was released in April 2013 as part of Dove’s “Campaign for Real Beauty”.
At Cannes the campaign won the Titanium Grand Prix in 2013, plus two Gold Lions (social media and integrated PR-led campaign).
Read the numbers with care
View counts mostly come from Dove, Unilever and the agency and differ by date: reports cite 46 to 55 million YouTube views in the first weeks, Unilever later cited more than 114 million in the first month. The claim “most shared ad” comes from brand and agency. Read such figures as marketing statements.
What brands can take away (our interpretation)
- An emotional insight everyone can relate to can carry a whole campaign.
- Authenticity is a precondition: purpose campaigns are measured against the brand, not the film.
- Awards and reach are not the same. The spot won a lot, but also drew debate.
Planning your own spot? The TV spot production guide explains the process, the agency brief template helps with the commission.
Sources
- Wikipedia: Dove Real Beauty Sketches
- MediaPost: Dove “Beauty” wins Cannes Titanium Grand Prix
- Digital Strategy Consulting: Dove Sketches wins gold at Cannes
This article only states facts we can substantiate from the sources linked below. The section “What brands can take away” is our own interpretation.