Social Lubricant: How a Marketing Campaign Became the Catalyst for a Social Debate

The article I read for this week was called “Social Lubricant: How a Marketing Campaign Became the Catalyst for a Social Debate” by Rob Walker. The article was about Dove body cleanser’s new advertising tactic. Dove is using what they call “real” women for their ads. The Dove girls featured on many billboards are not the traditional super thin models pictured on most beauty products. Dove is using these real women as a marketing tactic, but instead of just selling more lotions they have sparked a controversial issue of what is beauty in our society. Many beauty ads feature women that are super thin and flawless, but how many women look like that? This is the problem; beauty standards are unrealistic. The article expresses that many women need to hear this that it is ok to not be perfect because a thin perfect body is not the only way to still be beautiful. I completely agree with the author on this issue. Rarely do I see curvy women with dimples, freckles, and other imperfections in beauty ads. Do companies think that if they put real women in ads they won’t sell their products because the women are ugly? That is crazy. I believe that beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder. As long a woman is confident in her own skin I do not see why society should put her down for her looks when she loves who she is. Beauty is real so why shouldn’t real women be featured in beauty ads, instead of fake breasts, liposuction thighs, and airbrushed faces?