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Dove Campaign: Ethical or Unethical

Alexis Johnson
Professor Baker
Media and Ethics
December 3, 2014

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In todays media there are many different messages that are being sent to the publics. One
particular message that I will focus on in my paper is about sexuality in the media. This can be a
very daunting topic because there are many angles that can be taken on the issue, but one that I
will focus on is the Dove campaigns.
In the Dove campaigns it is all about promoting natural beauty in women. This can be
seen as a wonderful campaign angle to take since most women need a positive media outlet that
states that they are beautiful no matter what. In their campaigns there are women who do not
wear any clothing but bra and underwear; this can be seen as an ethical issue because it is putting
half naked women on television, ads, and billboards; this can have a huge impact on
adolescences that are exposed to this type of advertising. The other parts of my paper include
how the Dove campaign has affected women on how they view themselves. The next section and
question that arises in my mind about this is comparing Dove to Victoria Secret. Victoria Secret
is seen as a business that promotes sex through their products and that leads to a negative
connotation because the women are half naked; now the question is, is Dove just as unethical as
Victoria Secret even though Dove is promoting good self-image? The next section will discuss
the ethics in advertising, and so of the ethical code that advertisers go by. The part of discussing
different views of the Dove campaign is discussed as Dove being unethical because of their use
of Photoshop. Photoshop is used in almost everything in the media, so there is justification for
them using it but is it unethical because they are promoting natural beauty? Lastly the paper will
discuss three different ethical theories; the W.D. Ross---Theory of Prima Facie Duties, TARES
test, and the Potter Box.
First thing to cover on this topic is the influence the campaign can have on adolescences.
From the American Academy of Pediatrics it states the following

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Although sexual content in the media can affect any age group, adolescents may be
particularly vulnerable. Adolescents may be exposed to sexual content in the media
during a developmental period when gender roles, sexual attitudes, and sexual behaviors
are being shaped. This group may be particularly at risk because the cognitive skills that
allow them to critically analyze messages from the media and to make decisions based on
possible future outcomes are not fully developed.
Abstract: This demonstrates that being influenced by something unethical such as women that
are exposed naked no matter the message can influence their cognitive development and being
able to fully understand the media and its messages.
To give an even clearer understanding as to the amount of exposure that adolescences are
put at, these numbers were gathered together by a few different sources; but have be compiled
for this paper.
Analyses of broadcast media content indicate that, on average, teenaged viewers see 143
incidents of sexual behavior on network television at prime time each week, with
portrayals of three to four times as many sexual activities occurring between unmarried
partners as between spouses. As much as 80% of all movies shown on network or cable
television stations have sexual content. An analysis of music videos indicates that 60%
portray sexual feelings and impulses, and a substantial minority display provocative
clothing and sexually suggestive body movements. Analyses of media content also show
that sexual messages on television are almost universally presented in a positive light,
with little discussion of the potential risks of unprotected sexual intercourse and few
portrayals of adverse consequences (Louis Harris & Associates, Inc. 1995, Baxter RL, De

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Riemer C, Landini A 1985, Greenberg BS, Stanley C, Siemicki M 1995, Lowry DT,
Towles 1989, Kunkel D, Cope KM, Maynard-Farinola WJ 1999).
With these numbers it can demonstrate that sexuality in the media is almost a daily occurrence
therefore has a higher impact on those viewing it.
Another example that a professional based on a different stance of women used sexually
in the media, talks about the Dove campaign and how the use of exposing women affects the
viewers in a negative light. The Inquisitive Mind produced an article about the Dove campaign
and used different studies that have been done to prove the effects of the Dove campaign.
One study conducted by Swami and Smith (2012), investigated the impact of a lifestyle
television program that seeks to promote positive body image through the use of real
women in comparison to a program that emphasizes the thin ideal. Participants in both
experimental groups reported more negative body-focused anxiety and body weight
dissatisfaction after watching the programs. Therefore, these real women television
programs that are thought to evoke positive feelings toward womens body image
actually have the same aversive impact as television programs that promote the thin
ideal. The authors suggest one possible explanation for their results is that when real
women are used in these TV programs, they remind women of the difficulties in
achieving the thin ideal. This subsequently activates a higher self-awareness and fear of
fatness, resulting in an increase in body-focused anxiety and body weight dissatisfaction.
Although this study did not investigate the impact of the Dove campaign explicitly, the
results and discussion are generalizable to Doves ads because they share the same goal
as lifestyle television programs (Celebre, Denton, 2013).
This is another example of how the women are affected by the Dove campaign.

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Abstract: Women are being affected by the Dove campaign because they feel that they cannot
achieve the media weight and size; thus women should be satisfied with being overweight and
not trying to achieve a healthy weight.
My analysis of this perspective is that women are being affected by the Dove campaign for the
worse. I think that the ethics with this campaign are not in line and that it is thus far proving to be
unethical.
The next part of the analysis of the Dove campaign would be my question that I posed
earlier about comparing the Dove campaign to Victoria Secret. The Dove campaign was done in
retaliation against the Victoria Secret campaign for the perfect body. The women were all posed
in the same position in both campaigns. There was an analysis done that stated the following
Dove wanted to show that beauty does not have to come in the form of fit, tall or skinny
so they pictured heavier woman of shorter stature. The advertisement wanted the focus to
be averted to women bettering themselves for who they are rather than women trying to
emulate these other models by starving themselves or straining their body. However what
the ad did was define real beauty as everything that Victorias Secret is not. The
mocking ad actually showed that Dove believes that trying to be skinny is unhealthy and
that they gave the label of real beauty to heavier set women as if naturally skinny
women should be looked down upon (Zeng, 2014).
Abstract: This is another example of how the ad was viewed by the audiences that saw the ad.
Women are viewing themselves in poor light despite Doves intentions to make women feel that
they should love themselves as they are. The promotion here is that women are looking down on
those that are very skinny, such as the Victoria Secret girls.

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Another perspective comes from the point of view from those who are creating the
advertisements. There are is a code of ethics for advertising as there is with all professions. One
such code of ethics that I read said the following
RESPECT TRUTHFULNESS (deception objection)

Never directly intend to deceive

Never use simply untrue advertising
Do not distort the truth by implying things that are not so or withholding relevant

facts
"Puffery" is acceptable where it is consonant with recognized and accepted rhetorical
and symbolic practice

RESPECT THE DIGNITY OF EACH HUMAN PERSON (attacks autonomy objection)

Do not exploit our "lower inclinations" to compromise our capacity to reflect or

decide either through its content or through its impact: using appeals to lust, vanity,

envy and greed, and other human weakness.

Give special care to the weak and vulnerable: children, young people, the elderly, the
poor, and the culturally disadvantaged

RESPECT SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITIES (promotes consumption, empties communication,

objections)

Example: Concern for the ecologyadvertising should not favor a lavish lifestyle

which wastes resources and despoils the environment

Example: Advertising should not reduce human progress to acquiring material goods
and cultivating a lavish lifestyle ("Ethics of Advertising", 2014)

This is the list of general advertising ethics that should be followed that were listed from Carroll
College. The one that pertains heavily to this case is Respect Social Responsibilities. The
examples helped me to understand that in advertising they shouldnt be getting their viewers to

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be lowering their standards for goods. This demonstrates good ethics among advertising. In this
case about Dove, women are lowering their standards for being unhealthy because Dove is
campaigning that the Victoria Secret models are too thin and therefore those that are thin are to
be looked down upon.
Abstract: The advertising companies strive to maintain ethics among their employees so that they
can do good advertising and be able to portray their advertising in good light.
The last angle of this situation discusses how Dove has been unethical despite how they
try to seem ethical by portraying real models.
The ad was meant to promote realistic body images and encourage girls to love the way
they looked even if they were not supermodels. However, other Dove ads both during and
since featured stereotypically beautiful models whose images have been altered to hide
imperfections. Dove marketed ethically in one campaign and unethically in another. This
illustrates how difficult it is to do the right thing in all circumstances. What is most
important for any company that claims to practice ethical advertising is to make it a
fundamental feature of their marketing process. With every decision they must ask
themselves will this sell and is this the ethical way to sell it? (Ethical Marketing |
What is Ethical Marketing? 2013).
Abstract: Dove tried to portray that women are beautiful, even the plus-size; however they
removed some imperfections on some of the women which makes their campaigns unethical
because they were also deceiving the public while claiming that natural beauty is beautiful in
all women. However, their debate about its ethics could be made that in all media Photoshop is
used to put their product in the best light.

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The decision that is to be made in this ethical situation is whether or not half naked
women should be portrayed on television. This can be a difficult conclusion to come to since
there are many angles that this campaign can be looked at. Nevertheless, there has been evidence
that it can damage a persons self-esteem; however, some women may like it because it inspires
them.
The last section of this paper is discussing the different ethical theories. The first that I
will discuss is W.D. Ross---Theory of Prima Facie Duties. Prima facie duties are self-evident
duties. The list of duties goes as follows
Based on our own prior acts:
1. Making reparation for wrongs done.
2. Keeping promises made (fidelity and loyalty)
Based on the prior acts of another:
3. Gratitude and reciprocity (be good to people who have been good to you).
General duties:
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.

Beneficence (be kind; do good; strive to make the world a better place)
Non-maleficence (dont purposefully do harm)
Justice and fairness (equitable distribution of goods and evils; benefits and burdens)
Self-improvement
Respect for liberty and self-determination of others (duty of autonomy; respect for

persons)
9. Truth-telling
10. Nurturing (be loving; help others achieve self-worth and achievement)
This is the list of things that are prima facie duties. The steps to follow the prima facie duties are:
1.
2.
3.
4.

Identify duties to the situation

Act on the duty
Use moral intuition when two duties conflict
Act on actual duty

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Now how this applies to the Dove campaign situation is specifically number eight and ten.
The numbers are the respect for persons and to be nurturing (helping others achieve self-worth).
This can be seen as being accomplished because of Dove trying to help women respect
themselves and to have better self-esteem.
The next ethical evaluation is using the TARES Test. This is test is for persuasion and they go
as follows
Truthfulness (of the message) - Basic question to ask with this part of the test is would I feel
that this communication was truthful and non-deceptive if communicated to me in this context?
To answer this question based on Dove, some may feel that they are not being truthful because
some of the flaws were photoshopped away from the women, therefore countering what they
said about women being beautiful naturally.
Authenticity (of the persuader) - The next question to ask is do I personally believe in this
product, company, service, event, idea, cause? the answer to this question can definitely go both
ways. Some of the advertisers for the Dove campaign might feel that they could say yes to this
question and therefore promote the ads with a clear conscience.
Respect (for the persuader) - Next is is the quality of this information adequate to the
information needs of the persuades? This can be thought of as does this encourage others to
choose, speak, vote or purchase well? This can also be seen as yes because they are trying to
portray that Dove will help enrich their skin in their natural beauty.
Equity (of the persuasive approach) The next question is would I feel that the persuasion
in this situation was fair, just, ethical, and appropriate if it were communicated to me or to people
I know and love?. This question is definitely debatable because the Dove advertisers
Photoshopped some of the women and therefore it is unethical because it contradicts their

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message of natural beauty. However, others may say that no matter what Photoshop is always
needed in the media to portray the best product.
Social Responsibility (for the common good) The last question is Will the product or issue
I am promoting cause harm to individuals or to society? This question to me is objective
because some will see that through the studies done that women responded poorly to the
advertisements and thus lowered their self-esteem and causing harm to themselves. However,
this is also debatable because of the definition of harm. There is technically no physical harm
right away and it isnt encouraging others to do bad things; its all interpretation.
The last ethical analysis is called the Potter Box. In the Potter Box it is based on facts, values,
principles, and loyalty. To apply this one must think through each quadrant.
Facts- Understand the facts of the case.
Values- What core values are important to you in thinking through this case? List all of the
values that are of concern in this issue, even if they might be conflicting.
Principles- What principles might apply? Should you make this decision based on
utilitarianism, egoism, deontology, the golden mean, virtue ethics, etc.?
Loyalty- Articulate your loyalties. Do any of them conflict?
These are things that are to be worked through in the mind of the advertiser. They need to
understand what they are advertising, list their values, how they are going to base their
principles, and lastly their loyalty, where are their loyalties? To me this is a good basis to go off
of more-so for personal decision making. I believe that the person that goes through this Potter
Box will be deciding what they are going to do as an individual and to decide if what is going on
in the company is ethical. My thoughts about those that did the advertising for the Dove

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campaign is simply that they honestly thought they were promoting goodness in women and
therefore completed the Potter Box, without realizing it, without any negative consequences.
The Dove campaign had some different perspectives after all was said and done. I believe
that the only unethical act done by the Dove campaigns was photoshopping some of the women
because it contradicts their message. However, I do believe that they were trying to promote
beauty in women; they were simply taking a different approach to advertising.

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December 4, 2014, from http://www.in-mind.org/article/the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly-of-thedove-campaign-for-real-beauty?page=3

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