Social media has put an entire generation of kids at risk, and the proof lies in every young person’s phone. Dove’s film brings this heartbreaking truth to light. Crafted from Mary’s own photos and videos from her social feed, as well as journal entries, the film chronicles her downward spiral caused by mimicking online influencers. But Mary isn’t alone. 3 in 5 kids experience mental harm from toxic beauty content. By telling one girl’s story, we told the story of millions through a film about the dangers of social media designed to be shared on social media.

The volume and constant bombardment of toxic beauty content on social media is making young people suffer. 3 in 5 kids experience a mental health issue from toxic beauty content. Rates of depression, anxiety, and self-injury surged in the early 2010s, as social media platforms proliferated and expanded. The CDC reported suicide was the second leading cause of death amongst people aged 10 to 34 years old in 2018. Toxic content on social media is fueling a mental health crisis that is already spinning out of control, and kids are paying for it with their lives.

Unfortunately, toxic beauty content has been normalized and the impossible beauty standards accepted, so many kids are suffering in silence. By crafting this film out of Mary’s own content, we demonstrate that almost any girl could be in this film. You only have to look as far as their phones.

No actors were used.

Kids are experiencing severe mental health issues from the onslaught of seemingly endless toxic beauty content on social media. Anxiety, depression, self-harm, eating disorders, PTSD, and even suicide - the harm social media can cause has no limits. Because neither does social media. In fact, the majority of young girls say they feel the pressure to look perfect and match what they see on social media. Our brief was twofold: first, highlight the scale of the social media-induced mental health crisis among kids; and second, inspire the world to act, demand change, and save kids from the dire consequences of toxic beauty content. Our goal was to mobilize the masses by creating a single, shareable film and get viewers to sign the petition to support the Kids Online Safety Act.

Toxic beauty content is devastating the mental health of 3 in 5 kids, with an entire generation in crisis. To take action, Dove wanted to support the Kids Online Safety Act. To inspire others to do the same, we told the story of Mary; a girl who almost lost her life from an eating disorder. However, we didn’t need to film her story, Mary already had. Using her own photos, videos, and journal entries, spanning over a decade, we created a film that shows her downward spiral after getting her first phone and joining social media. Then we set it to an emotional female cover of Joe Cocker’s iconic song, ‘You Are So Beautiful to Me,’ reimagined by popular musician, Self Esteem. In the end, we learn this isn’t just Mary’s story. It’s the story of millions of other girls.

The truth is stark: young girls are paying a heavy price for toxic beauty content, and it's a cost we, as a society, cannot afford. We needed parents to understand that their daughters' appearance dissatisfaction wasn’t just a passing phase—it's a deeply serious issue driven by relentless comparison on social media, capable of leading to profound mental health issues like anxiety, depression, eating disorders, and even suicide.

To make this urgent message resonate, we launched a film that speaks to parents, children, and society as a whole. We needed to show that lives are at stake and urge swift, meaningful action by driving support and collecting signatures for the Kids Online Safety Act petition.

Once the film was created, it launched on all the major social media platforms where toxic beauty content thrives. When social media tried to ban it for highlighting the platforms’ danger, we pivoted to LinkedIn. The move turned a professional network into a personal one, with many proclaiming Mary’s story as their own. But we didn’t stop there. The entire film also ran uninterrupted during an episode of TV’s most toxic show for body confidence, Love Island, ensuring we reached the audience who needed us the most. In just minutes, Dove trended on X (formerly Twitter), driving online conversation back to the issue at hand while helping the film reach millions of parents worldwide.

The film launched organically and immediately went viral. When social media tried to ban it for highlighting the platforms’ danger, we pivoted to LinkedIn, resulting in 20K+ organic shares. The Love Island placement garnered 39.5M+ impressions. On social media, there were 39K+ tweets in 10 minutes, ranking Dove among the top trending topics on X (formerly Twitter). It also inspired legislative reform in the UK, with the House of Lords passing new measures to help keep kids safe online.  

Today, it has received 69M+ views, 11.1B+ total impressions and is the most shared Dove film of all time, with earned media coverage in 190 placements including NBC, Women’s Health, and Teen Vogue. Dove doubled its goal of 50,000 petition signatures for the Kids Online Safety Act. Now, with support of 62 Senators and companies like Microsoft, X, and Snapchat, the bill is poised to pass the American Senate.

Dove is well known by the public as a champion of real beauty, with a stated mission to redefine beauty standards and help everyone experience beauty and body image positively. Over two decades of campaigning, Dove's mission has come to life in a variety of spaces from the workplace and school to everyday life, and for a variety of age groups. After learning that the majority of young girls say they feel pressure to look perfect and match what they see on social media, it became clear toxic beauty content on social media was promoting unhealthy and unrealistic beauty standards, and many parents were unaware or ill-equipped on how to help. The Dove Self-Esteem Project, which launched in 2004, helped bring Dove's mission to life with a toolkit designed to help parents who see the campaign talk to their kids about the tragic dangers of toxic beauty content.