BACKGROUND

TikTok's Bold Glamour filter went viral - all of it was extremely rapidly and on a global scale. The reason? Being the first filter to use AI, the unrealistic outcome was practically indistinguishable from reality. Unlike other filters, it replaced every pixel of the face, making it not look like a fake filter but rather like the real face.

This artificially created beauty ideal imposes naturally unattainable stereotypes, pressuring girls into altering their images to the point they were hardly recognizable, damaging their self-worth and esteem. 

54% of women prefer how they look when their photos are edited, distorting their perception of beauty and diminishing their confidence. (Data: Dove No Digital Distortion Report.)

CREATIVE CHALLENGE

Dove, a brand at the forefront of self-esteem and beauty, used the new trend to act against the negative impacts of digital distortion once again. The challenge was to show the world that something that makes you look great was creating real damage.

There was an opportunity to shift the focus of the conversation:

From a filter that makes us look 'perfect' to a filter that harms us with digital distortion.

SOLUTION

We empowered creators to fight for our cause with a strong insight:

No one, least of all an AI-driven filter, should tell women how they should or shouldn’t look.

The only way for the filter not to distort your face, was for it to not 'see' your face. Dove asked people to #TurnYourBack to the filter. In a space where everyone is doing activities showing their faces, turning around and giving their backs was a bold way to grab attention and effectively shift the conversation about the filter.

We used TikTok against “TikTok”.

If influencers were driving the use of #BoldGlamour, we needed them to change the trend themselves. Beyond using them as a vehicle for our message, we understood that the strength was in giving them, and all people, the freedom to talk about how distortion directly impacted them.

Such an easy format - as easy as participating in a TikTok challenge - allowed all users, both influencers and women, to participate and promote the countertrend. Even though we had a powerful idea in our hands, we needed to act fast. Time was crucial for us to turn the narrative around.

EXECUTION

Within 72 hours of Bold Glamour going viral, Dove invited people to #TurnYourBack on digital distortion. Within 24 hours, we activated 68 influencers across 8 markets—a record achievement for Dove. What started as a digital post evolved into a global 360-degree campaign.

The campaign format made it easy for people to stand together with Dove. This powerful gesture transformed this talkable trend into a platform for a greater discussion.

Dove once more encouraged people to embrace their real selves. But most importantly, #TurnYourBack recognized Bold Glamour for what it is: harmful, distorting, and totally detached from reality.