This work exemplifies innovative and impactful strategies in leveraging influencers and social media platforms to drive meaningful change.

Instead of following the conventional path of hiring big names to promote its message, Dove hired beauty influencers to simply NOT DO their usual.

By engaging them to commit to abandoning filters, Dove's initiative challenged prevailing beauty standards and promoted authenticity.

This approach not only resonated with audiences on social media but also sparked broader discussions all over Brazil. Through strategic use of influencers, Dove amplified its message, driving awareness and advocacy for a more inclusive and realistic portrayal of beauty.

In Brazil, where daily social media usage is higher than the global average (91% vs 88% WW), a concerning trend emerges in the exposure to and comparison with unattainable beauty standards, particularly magnified on platforms such as Instagram and TikTok.

Alarmingly, 97% of young Brazilian women report being adversely impacted by toxic beauty content on social media, primarily due to the excessive use of filters on images and videos. This has a profound effect on their self-image and self-esteem, especially among young women. Recognizing this issue, Dove launched the #NoFilterContract campaign to address the harmful influence of filters and toxic beauty content.

In Brazil, 96% of mental health professionals are alarmed by the increasing instances of self-harm and suicide among youth, a concern directly linked to the exposure to these damaging standards. Dove's campaign, featuring celebrities and influencers who commit to not using filters, emphasizes the importance of self-acceptance and challenges existing beauty norms. The campaign's cultural relevance in Brazil is crucial, given the high engagement of youth on social media and the prevalence of body image disorders.

It's also crucial to mention Paolla Oliveira, a major Brazilian actress and Carnival icon, as a key figure in our campaign. Paolla is now approaching her forties, and as her body undergoes slight changes, she has become the target of media scrutiny and online haters. Paolla's inclusion in the 'No Filter' squad was vital to sparking conversation all over the country.

SITUATION:

Unrealistic beauty standards perpetuated by influencers and social media are impacting young women's self-esteem and mental health like never before. According to recent studies conducted by Dove, over 9 out of 10 mental health professionals are concerned about the increase in self-harm and suicide among youth, due to exposure to social media (Brazil 96%, EU 91%).

BRIEF:

While Dove has been globally addressing that issue, we faced the challenge of bringing this topic to light in a country where social media usage exceeds the global average. The task was to develop a creative solution to challenge beauty standards and promote authentic beauty representation.

OBJECTIVES:

The primary objective was to raise awareness about the detrimental effects of social media and filter excess. Additionally, Dove aimed to solidify its position as a brand advocating for real beauty and to engage influencers and celebrities to endorse this message authentically.

Dove's #NoFilterContract goes beyond advertising: it's a commitment to real, unaltered beauty, that has become a nationwide debate and a cultural shift.

Breaking new ground, Dove has established a no-filter policy for its ambassadors, marking a historic moment in brand advocacy.

The central challenge of Dove's #NoFilterContract campaign was to engage influencers in a commitment that directly contradicted the prevailing norms of their profession, even risking existing contractual obligations with other brands. The campaign featured them posting unfiltered stories and expressing their journey towards embracing natural beauty .

In a strategic move to implement the No Filter Contract, Dove even subverted its own guideline of avoiding hiring celebrities. Recognizing that celebs and digital influencers are crucial in defining beauty standards, Dove sought to disrupt the prevailing narrative.

This impactful initiative aimed to generate extensive media attention and drive regulatory changes, making social media a safer, less toxic space.

The strategy for Dove's #NoFilterContract initiative was meticulously crafted to maximize impact and engagement across social platforms.

Initially, extensive data gathering was carried out to understand social media usage trends, and the psychological impact of filtered imagery on target demographics.

The target audience comprised young women and adolescents, particularly those heavily engaged on social media platforms, who were susceptible to the harmful effects of toxic beauty content.

Recognizing the significance of social platforms in shaping cultural norms, Dove strategically used influencer partnerships to amplify its message of authenticity and challenge unrealistic beauty ideals. The approach involved engaging influencers and celebrities to commit to abstaining from using filters, thereby promoting genuine beauty representation. This approach not only resonated with the target audience but also sparked broader conversations about societal beauty norms, raising awareness and advocacy for a more inclusive digital landscape.

The campaign's execution involved negotiating with high-profile social media personalities, who agreed to forgo the use of any filters in their content, both sponsored and organic. This commitment was a substantial challenge, as it required these influencers to change their usual practices that directly affect their professional and public image.

Once the contract was signed, all content posted by the hired squad from that day on automatically became a Dove asset, even those sponsored by other brands, as they followed our no-filter policy.

This strategy generated significant buzz on social networks and in the press, fostering public participation and conversation: from social media to TV.

Dove was even invited to participate in a public hearing on the subject, in Brazil's Federal Congress. This recognition marked a significant step in Dove's mission to positively influence social media, striving to make it a safer and less toxic space.

Dove played a crucial role in highlighting the impact of filters on Brazilian youth mental health. The results exceeded expectations, achieving over 138 million total impacts. 58% of this result was organic, marking a performance 3.8 times higher than expected.

Over 18 million impressions were recorded in the phase of awareness of the issue . The virality on Dove's page in the first phase reached 14.3%. The organic engagement rate during the peak phase of community dialogue reached 7.8%. Achieving significant results in content virality was essential. Influencer results totaled 19.1 million impacts, exceeding the target by 12%, and garnered 1.31 million interactions between influencers and their communities, 9.4 times greater than previous benchmarks.

The No Filter Contract took Dove where no other brand has been before: Brazil's National Congress, as the only brand invited to discuss the impact of social filters on mental health.