Dove's latest campaign stars real Indian women rejected by suitors for 'flaws' in their appearance

Dove is back with another campaign designed to boost women's self-esteem around their appearances, and this time the Unilever brand is taking on the sensitive topic of the arranged marriage market in India. A campaign by Ogilvy Mumbai, called "Stop the Beauty Test," recreates the real-life stories of women who have been criticized or rejected by a potential husband's family over "flaws" in their appearance, whether it's their weight, height or complexion, hair type or something as simple as a birthmark on their face. According to the brand, 90% of single women in India feel they are rejected for marriage because of their looks. Ogilvy India collected the real-life stories of rejection after a nationwide search and the women themselves feature in the film, which was directed by Amit Sharma at Chrome Pictures. "With this campaign, Dove, along with some brave women, provokes a conversation around the practices during the marriage process, that diminish and chip away a woman’s self-worth," said Hephzibah Pathak, vice chairperson and chief client officer, Ogilvy India, in a statement. "Dove believes that beauty should be a source of joy for women. For this intention to have meaning and start getting realized in our culture, we had to choose the moment that matters the most, to inspire change. This is a small step towards achieving the brand’s beautiful ambition of a world where women can enjoy beauty on their own terms." “In a country of 631 million women, it is unfortunate that there is such intense pressure to adhere to one definition of beauty," added Dove's Executive Director, Hindustan Unilever & VP–Beauty and Personal Care South Asia Priya Nair. "As owners of some of the largest beauty brands in the country, the onus to make beauty more positive and more inclusive is on us. Dove has always believed that beauty should be source of confidence, not anxiety. With #StopTheBeautyTest, we want to go one step forward in that direction.”

Dove's latest campaign stars real Indian women rejected by suitors for 'flaws' in their appearance

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