In a significant move towards real beauty representation, Dove has introduced “The Dove Code” to commemorate 20 years of the Campaign for Real Beauty. The initiative, crafted by the Brazilian independent agency Soko, aims to revolutionize the portrayal of women in AI-generated content.
“We are privileged to spearhead the global campaign creative celebrating Dove’s 20-year commitment to advocating for Real Beauty. The prevalent trend in AI-generated imagery often perpetuates a narrow beauty standard, predominantly featuring blonde hair and portraying white, tanned skin, thus reflecting societal biases. Upon testing prompts for women’s imagery with the addition of ‘according to Dove real beauty campaign,’ we observed significantly more diverse, inclusive, and authentic results. This is the code Dove has instilled in AI forever, a testament to 20 years of championing real beauty. Dove is transforming AI because the brand has been truly transforming beauty,” says Brisa Vicente, Partner and co-CEO of the creative agency Soko.
At the core of the campaign lies Dove’s pledge to never replace real women with AI in its advertisements. By showcasing Dove’s principles embedded in AI, the campaign endeavors to redefine beauty standards in the digital era, ensuring authenticity. The Real State of Beauty, a global report by Dove, sheds light on the impact of AI on body confidence, revealing that 1 in 3 women feel compelled to alter their appearance due to online content, even when aware of its artificial or AI-generated nature.
The film, produced by Saigon and directed by Juliana Curi in collaboration with The Mill, Diprod, Big Sync Music, and HEFTY, features 100% authentic results from AI tools using the displayed prompts, set to the timeless “Pure Imagination” song exclusively performed for the campaign by the emerging artist Victoria Canal.
To establish new digital representation standards, Dove has developed the Real Beauty Prompt Guidelines, offering straightforward guidance for AI enthusiasts and content creators. These guidelines serve as a starting point to challenge beauty biases in AI and strive for images that authentically represent Real Beauty across popular generative AI platforms.
This groundbreaking campaign, titled ‘The Dove Code,’ represents a milestone in beauty advocacy and was launched in the United States in April 2024. Created for the iconic brand Dove by the ad agency Soko, the campaign utilizes film as its primary medium and includes three compelling media assets.
