#TurnYourBack: Calling Out Toxic Beauty Standards with Dove

Client: Dove

In 2021, Dove commissioned research to understand the impact of digital image distortion such as filters and face tuning apps. The research found that almost half of girls with low body confidence feel they don’t look good enough without photo editing. Moreover, filters have become part of everyday life for 52% of girls, and 77% try to change or hide at least one part of their body before posting a photo of themselves. This suggests that the cumulative effect of filters and digital distortion over time is creating aesthetic pressures and low self-worth among girls and young women in particular.

In early March, 10.6 million videos on TikTok were featuring the new ‘Bold Glamour’ filter, which blew up across social media due to its sophisticated AI technology. The filter was so shocking, many tried it to see the effect in action which further perpetuated the buzz around it. As more people began to use Bold Glamour, the common response was shock as the generative AI filter worked even with your hand in front of your face.

Over the years, Dove has championed wider definitions of beauty and strives to make social media a more positive place with campaigns like #SpeakBeautiful, #NoDigitalDistortion, Reverse Selfie, and #DetoxYourFeed.

This internet phenomenon presented Dove with the opportunity to tap into real-time, cultural conversations around the dismantling of beauty standards and demonstrate that the brand has a genuine and long-lasting commitment to empowering women to feel beautiful as their authentic selves. Therefore, #TurnYourBack was born.