Dove Little Girls Show Real Beauty in True Colors
Dove promoted its “Real Beauty” campaign with “Little Girls”, commonly known as “True Colors”. The 60 second ad features girls from a number of ethnic backgrounds who wish they look different. The ad calls on the public to affirm young girls in their unique sense of beauty.
Accompanied by Cyndi Lauper’s 1986 song, “True Colors”, we see girls who wish they didn’t have freckles, braces, dark hair, or layers of fat. The photography makes it clear that these girls are indeed beautiful, even if they don’t see it for themselves. Viewers are encouraged to do something about the low self-esteem of young girls. “Let’s tell her to be real and brave and true and she’ll be beautiful”. “Let’s make peace with beauty”.
Click on the image below to play the video in YouTube
Dove Little Girls at YouTube (Cyndi Lauper version)
Dove Little Girls at YouTube (Girl Scout Version)
Dove Little Dogs Spoof at YouTube
Credits
The campaign was developed at Ogilvy & Mather, Toronto by creative directors Janet Kestin and Nancy Vonk, art director Tim Piper and Jackie Leak, writers Chris Dacyshyn and Debra Fried, and agency producer Brenda Surminski.
Filming was directed and photographed by Michael Rowles, with NewNew Films, Toronto, with producer Jeff McDougall.
Editor was Michelle Czukar at Panic & Bob, Toronto.
True Colors
Music in the original ad is ‘True Colors’ sung by Cyndi Lauper. The version introduced to the United States market during the 2006 Super Bowl was sung by the Girl Scouts of Nassau County.
Download Cyndi Lauper’s original version of True Colors from iTunes:
NewNew Films hosts Dove Little Girls as a 7.9 mb quicktime video
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Location 
(Canada).
Posted in Inspiration, TV Ads Cinema and Online Videos
(average: 4.00 out of 5)
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(4.92 out of 5)
I think this great for our girls. Letting the see their beauty outside and within.
What I failed to see however in this campaign are the beautiful little black girls that have some of the same issues and perhaps even more. One little girl at the end of the ad, with what is commonly known to black girls as “good hair” and who really doesn’t look like she represents the majority of the other beautiful black little sister out there that need to know they are just as beautiful, doesn’t really suffice.
You can’t have a “true” colors commercial without all the “true” colors represented.
I would expect more from Dove… I hope in the future I can. Thank you
I really love Dove products because I feel that any person can use them on their skin type. But as the writer above mention, where are the little black girls? Where are the little hispanic girls? I feel like this commercial does not represent every little girl out there. How can little girls out there feel truly beautiful( as stated in the commercials) when every color isn’t fairly represented?
I think that the idea for this ad campaign was brillant and I think that it could work in the future, but until everyone is fairly represented than it will contuine to make only white girls feel pretty.
Good points about the lack of black or Asian girls, but could this be because these demographics don’t buy Dove products? Don’t forget that, Campaign for Real Beauty or not, Dove is a company whose main aim is to sell products.
All of the “True Colors” are not represented. Where are the Hispanic, Black and India girls.
Where can I submit an idea for a commercial?
Dove is affordable for all regardless of your demographics. My family and I volunteer at a homeless shelter and Dove is distributed to all the families.
i don’t see any indian or middle eastern girls in there.
demagraphics is correct, whether or not it appears “ignorant”. i am caucasian, my wife is half black and half german/jew. my employer and his family are korean, my foster parents are hispanic-spaniards…none of us buy dove products except i buy dove dish liquid. as you can see, a company need not waste their efforts on a campaign for any demagraphics that dont purchase their products, and to insist that you expect more from a company is simply a guilt trip you are trying to put forth… its not to say i dont like dove, their dish detergent is excellent, but other products like bath soap dries my skin out too much(its not dove’s fault). so those opposed, need to be more considerate of a company’s choices…
stupid white ppl
I, too, approve the campaign in general, but (un)fortunately they only used girls in the video who look good or ‘not bad’ (talking general). The problem is there are some who have serious problems with their looks (especially overweight ones). The selection of those shown is just too small, as mentioned already.
Come on, illusion–do you think Dove is going show obese or truly homely children? That would make the underlying bullshit of this “everyone is beautiful” claptrap a bit too obvious for comfort.
hello.. im still braces last past march 6, new braces ok smile thank you..
To be very honest: I appreciate Dove’s campaign, but hey, I believe in “be who you want to be.” If you want to be blonde, go for it! There’s nothing wrong with it.