Press releases.
Turning words and images into action: Dove announces the Dove Self Esteem Fund
Thursday 30 March 2006: Dove unveiled a groundbreaking study today that discusses the implications of a global society that narrowly defines beauty by the images seen in entertainment, advertising and on fashion runways, and the startling impact this has on women.
As a global beauty brand and responsible marketer, Dove wanted to investigate these issues and understand women's views on beauty. With these concerns in mind, in 2004, Dove partnered with Harvard University professor Dr. Nancy Etcoff, and London School of Economics visiting professor Dr. Susie Orbach, to develop The Real Truth About Beauty: A Global Report conducted among more than 3,200 women aged 18-64 in 10 countries around the world.
The study, which explored the relationship women have with beauty, revealed a startling two percent of women globally would describe themselves as beautiful.
Revealed today, the same study conducted in Australia in January this year, found a minimal one per cent of Australian women would describe themselves as beautiful, one percentage point less than the global figure. The major findings from the survey were surprisingly consistent around the globe, revealing a staggering two thirds of women worldwide recognised that beauty was so narrowly defined in today's world, that it was clearly unachievable.
Beauty: The Eye of the BeholderExploring the relationship women have with the ideal of beauty, the study uncovered information about how women physically perceive and define their look.
Supporting the current and narrow definition of beauty, the Australian respondents were hesitant to claim ownership of the word "beauty," with just over 50 per cent strongly agreeing that they do not feel comfortable describing themselves as beautiful.
Furthermore, only 3 per cent feel comfortable describing themselves as pretty and a mere 1 per cent feel comfortable describing themselves as good-looking3. Additionally, just 10 percent of Australian women say they are very satisfied with their beauty.
In fact, in a society captivated by diet and makeover programs, a third of women around the world are very or somewhat dissatisfied with their body weight, and in Australia the figure is similar at 31 per cent.
Sydney University Lecturer, Dr Jenny O'Dea, an expert in women's body attitudes, has studied the local and global results and in conjunction with her own research stated: "Women all around the world are faced with pressure to conform to extremely narrowly defined ideals of beauty. The ideal in Western countries is an unachievable level of idealised perfection that includes a dangerously low body weight; an unnaturally young age of perceived beauty (for example often pre adolescent, pre pubescent); unblemished skin (no lines, freckles, spots, moles or acne marks); and often, racist in that it defines beauty very narrowly - the slim, white woman with blonde hair."
"The fact that this internationally propagated image of "beauty" is more often than not artificially computer-enhanced and very narrowly defined, is misleading and unethical, in my opinion, but also damaging to girls and women in many different ways", Dr O'Dea said.
Pop Cultures Beauty MarkDelving deeper to explain women's stifling definition of beauty, the study asked women about social issues emerging from mass media and pop culture. From Brazil to the Netherlands to Argentina and Australia - across cultures, ages, ethnicities and race - women made it clear they believe mass media have played a role in portraying and communicating a narrow definition of beauty.
In Australia the study found:
"69 per cent of Australian women strongly agree that the attributes of female beauty have become very narrowly defined in today's world"
"77 per cent of Australian women strongly agree they wish female beauty was portrayed in the media as being made up of more than just physical attractiveness"
"81 per cent of Australian women strongly agree they wish the media did a better job of portraying women of diverse physical attractiveness"
"81 per cent of Australian women strongly agree that media and advertising set an unrealistic standard of beauty that most women can't ever achieve"
Additionally, Australian respondents said they felt pressure to try and be the "perfect" picture of beauty:
"57 per cent strongly agree that women today are expected to be more physically attractive than their mother's generation"
"66 per cent strongly agree that society expects women to enhance their physical attractiveness"
"Just under half (48%) strongly agree that physically attractive women are more valued by men"
So What is Beautiful?How are the women of the world defining beauty and what do they really want to see as society continues to evolve? The study found that 78 percent of Australian women strongly agree that physical attractiveness is about how one looks, whereas beauty includes much more of whom a person is. Women rate happiness, confidence, dignity and humour as powerful components of beauty, along with the more traditional attributes of physical appearance, body weight and shape, and even a sense of style. The respondents also see beauty in many different forms:
"82 per cent strongly agree that beauty can be achieved through attitude, spirit and other attributes that have nothing to do with physical appearance"
"93 per cent strongly agree that a woman can be beautiful at any age"
"90 per cent state every woman has something about her that is beautiful"
Not only do women agree that happiness is a primary element in making a woman beautiful, but the vast majority strongly agree that they themselves feel most beautiful when they are being loved (83%). Furthermore, 93 per cent of women strongly agree that "If I had a daughter, I would want her to feel beautiful, even if she is not physically attractive."
Jenny O'Dea surmises, "the study demonstrates that authentic beauty is a concept lodged in women's hearts and minds and seldom articulated in popular culture or affirmed in the mass media."
"As such, authentic beauty remains unrealised and unclaimed - while the mass media concept of beauty is a narrower, functional definition of 'physical attractiveness.'"
To further its commitment to the Campaign for Real Beauty, Dove is employing various communication vehicles - print advertising, an interactive website and electronic billboards - to invite women to join in the discussion about beauty and share their views of it with women around the world.
For further information, images or an interview, please contact:
| Lisa Solomons | Kate Mulcare |
| Zing | Zing |
| P: 02 8303 6464 | P: 02 8303 6464 |
| M: 0416 175 518 | M: 0414 419 510 |
| E: lisa@zing.net.au | E: kate@zing.net.au |
1. 'The Real Truth about Beauty: a Global Report' was conducted in collaboration with Dr Nancy Etcoff from Harvard University and Dr Susie Orbach from London School of Economics. A total of 3,200 women aged 18-64 were questioned from Argentina, Brazil, Canada, France, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Portugal, United Kingdom, and the United States.
2. The Australian study was conducted by Newspoll by telephone in January 2006 among 300 females aged 18-64 years nationally.
3. Respondents were able to choose from attractive, beautiful, pretty, good-looking, gorgeous, cute, stunning, sophisticated, sexy, natural, feminine, or average.