Analyzing Dove’s Real Beauty Ad: Appeals, Target Audience, and Effectiveness in Persuasion

Campaign Description

Dove is a renowned brand in the beauty industry, especially in producing women’s beauty products. One of the most successful marketing campaigns globally is the Dove Real beauty advertising campaign launched by the firm in 2004 (Allen, 2022). The campaign was launched primarily to promote authenticity by challenging traditional beauty standards.

Target Audience

One of the campaign’s characteristics was the use of ordinary women instead of models. The target audience for the campaign was primarily women, irrespective of their social status and cultural background. The company used women of different ages, constitutions, and races in the advert to showcase beauty.

The Dove Real Beauty Pledge
Figure 1. The Dove Real Beauty Pledge.

Note. By Dove, 2022. Dove Real Beauty Campaign in United Kingdom.

Appeals Used in the Ad

The campaign primarily relied on emotional appeal to evoke the viewer’s emotions. This was done to challenge the traditional standards set to define beauty, promote self-love, and discourage body shaming. The company has successfully used the adverts to evoke emotions such as empathy. This was done using ordinary women in the campaign with different body types and physical appearances. The emotional appeal is also evident in the advertisement created by the company through the campaign’s authenticity. By showcasing ordinary women images in their adverts, the company has created a sense of authenticity among women, which relates well with the target audience, evoking positive emotions that promote self-love and accepting others the way they are.

Effectiveness of the Ad

The effectiveness of the Dove Real Beauty campaign can be assessed by evaluating various factors. One factor considered in the analysis of the advertisement’s effectiveness is its relevance to the target audience. The campaign resonated well with the specific needs of the women. It met their desires and values by boosting their self-esteem and promoting self-love. The effectiveness can also be assessed based on memorability.

The advert was launched in 2004, but it is still relevant several years later as it influenced women to take necessary measures about beauty. This indicates that Dove’s advertisement was highly successful as the company’s sales rose from 2.5 billion dollars to 4 billion dollars (Allen, 2022). The company also became the bestselling brand in the United States; thus, the campaign was highly successful.

References

Allen, E. (2022). Jess Weiner and the Dove Real Beauty Campaign: selling feminism for profit or social change? Women leading change: Case studies on women, gender, and feminism, Tulane. 6(1), 18-37. Web.

Dove. (2022). The dove real beauty pledge. Web.

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StudyCorgi. (2026, February 10). Analyzing Dove’s Real Beauty Ad: Appeals, Target Audience, and Effectiveness in Persuasion. https://studycorgi.com/analyzing-doves-real-beauty-ad-appeals-target-audience-and-effectiveness-in-persuasion/

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"Analyzing Dove’s Real Beauty Ad: Appeals, Target Audience, and Effectiveness in Persuasion." StudyCorgi, 10 Feb. 2026, studycorgi.com/analyzing-doves-real-beauty-ad-appeals-target-audience-and-effectiveness-in-persuasion/.

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StudyCorgi. (2026) 'Analyzing Dove’s Real Beauty Ad: Appeals, Target Audience, and Effectiveness in Persuasion'. 10 February.

1. StudyCorgi. "Analyzing Dove’s Real Beauty Ad: Appeals, Target Audience, and Effectiveness in Persuasion." February 10, 2026. https://studycorgi.com/analyzing-doves-real-beauty-ad-appeals-target-audience-and-effectiveness-in-persuasion/.


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StudyCorgi. "Analyzing Dove’s Real Beauty Ad: Appeals, Target Audience, and Effectiveness in Persuasion." February 10, 2026. https://studycorgi.com/analyzing-doves-real-beauty-ad-appeals-target-audience-and-effectiveness-in-persuasion/.

References

StudyCorgi. 2026. "Analyzing Dove’s Real Beauty Ad: Appeals, Target Audience, and Effectiveness in Persuasion." February 10, 2026. https://studycorgi.com/analyzing-doves-real-beauty-ad-appeals-target-audience-and-effectiveness-in-persuasion/.

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