Ad of the Day: Dove partners with Lizzo to tackle toxic ‘body transformation’ posts
According to research, seven in 10 young people ages 10-17 have said they have seen content online encouraging weight loss.
Dove is continuing to highlight the negative effects social media can have on young people and teens with the latest iteration of its ‘Self-Esteem Project’. This new body of work is built around the finding that half of the kids surveyed said that social media makes them and their peers feel anxious and many have been exposed to ‘body transformation’ posts.
Coinciding with the campaign, which was creative by Ogilvy, is a staggering video that details one young girl’s battle with an eating disorder, which seems rooted around the time spent on her phone.
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“Dove has a long-term commitment to bringing positive change in beauty and taking action towards making social media a more positive place with campaigns like #NoDigitalDistortion, Reverse Selfie/Selfie Talk and #DetoxYourFeed. While certain aspects of social media can promote creativity and connection for young people, data has shown toxic content online is harming the mental health of today’s youth. If there isn’t real change, young people will continue to pay with their well-being,” said Alessandro Manfredi, chief marketing officer at Dove.
“We have a responsibility to act and support a safer environment on social media, helping protect young people’s mental health. This means going beyond individual interventions to drive systemic change.”
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As part of a larger commitment, the Dove Self Esteem Project has partnered with American artist Lizzo, Common Sense Media, and Parents Together Action to continue to push for systemic change and advance the 2023 Kids Online Safety Act.
“Social media is supposed to be a place where people can express themselves and be a source for beauty and confidence, not anxiety, that’s why I’m partnering with Dove again and calling on platforms to do more to make social media safe for young people,” added Lizzo. “Seeing the negative impact social media is having on youth mental health today is devastating and has to stop. Join us and use your voice to help make a change.”
Last week, the brand built a billboard made entirely of syringes to highlight the number of teens that are getting injectables to change their faces in line with beauty ‘trends’.
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