Victoria's Secret vs. Dove: Ad Campaign Photos Ignite Body Image Debate

   By SheSpeaksTeam  Aug 01, 2012
14

Message boards, blogs, and Facebook are all buzzing over a photo juxtaposing the Dove Real Beauty Campaign photo of voluptuous women posing in their underwear against the Victoria’s Secret Love My Body Campaign which features noticeably slimmer models in lingerie.

The photo, depicting two ad campaigs that have been around for years, is generating comments and opinions of varying types and raises a lot of questions of how women are generally viewed and compared in the public arena. Some feel the Dove ad campaign is a refreshing change from the usual slim models plastered all over magazines and feel like the voluptuous body is a more accurate portrayal of what most women really look like.

Others however feel that the Dove ads are unfair to naturally thin women who tend to receive criticism (as heavier women do too) for their size. Message board user Ineedanswers responded on AskMen.com about the ads saying, “Some women are naturally skinny like myself, but I am healthy looking and tall. I think both can be attractive. And comments made about skinny girls cracking or breaking like sticks only show insecurity from other females who make those comments. You can be beautiful as long as you are healthy skinny or thick.”

And still others are angered that women are being compared in this way to begin with and feel that ads like these just serve to pit women against each other and further the notion that women’s bodies are up for public discussion.

What do you think of the photo comparing Victoria’s Secret models to Dove models?

Which ad campaign do you prefer and do you think it’s fair to compare the ads?
 

Make a Comment

 
SHARE
Comments
rashel8a by rashel8a | New Orleans, LA
Feb 28, 2013

I really wish there were more campaigns like this. In fact, I tried thinking of other companies or products that push for portraying the natural woman's body "look" and I actually couldn't think of much besides Dove. I really like how they go beyond all society's inclinations of how women should look and are adamant on showing the real, dirty, raw truth that women are naturally curvy. After all, we are expected to birth children. And even for the women who are naturally skinny, aren't they happy to see ads that don't tell younger women that they need to look model-skinny in order to be pretty? I think Dove not only hit their immense target audience but they really transcended the overall message they wanted to get out to women of all ages, sizes, and shapes. You rock Dove!

marinamarinabythesea by marinamarinabythesea | FORT MYERS, FL
Oct 28, 2012

I don't mind either ad. I feel like Victorias Secret models are just that...professional lingerie models. The women in the Dove campaign are a wonderful representation of what every day beautiful women look like. Neither is wrong, just different.

Domineek by Domineek | Brockton, MA
Sep 25, 2012

I thinks it's rather amusing because this is quite similar to vs against the lane bryant commercial so the media is just doing it again the skinny vs the fatty. Some women are naturally thin and some women are naturally heavy we are what we are. I am a plussized woman and that dove ad appeals to me however they are selling two completely different products. I cant say i feel bad for the women who are naturally thin feeling some kind of way because of the name calling their getting now because I have been getting it all my life so grow a pair and get over it.

countrycass21 by countrycass21 | BROOKHAVEN, MS
Sep 21, 2012

I think the Victorians secret ad doesn't portray most women in todays world. Dove shows average woman of today. I think supermodels or models should be all shapes and sizes. There shouldn't be a so called plus model. Some women are skinny some aren't. Also skinny women should borne complaining about their size or being picked on. I don't think they have the same difficulties that average size or larger women have with being picked on and bullied. I have been around skinny women calling some girl fat only to look and she was like a size 6 or 8. Sorry not everyone can be a zero. I certainly am not nor do I wish to be. I like my curves.

legendmario3 by legendmario3 | orlando, FL
Sep 17, 2012

Dove really is making the best choice here. It's boosting girls' confidence everywhere!

veah100 by veah100 | NEW YORK, NY
Sep 14, 2012

I've seen the dove campagin before and turly I love it!. I'm a plus size women, so It's relateable for me to see women like that. However I am not aganist thinner women, nore the vic secret campagin

SunCandy by SunCandy | San Jacinto, CA
Sep 04, 2012

Dove is definitely more realistic. You have a better chance of being a Dove model than a VS model. Whether you're stick thin or not.

Trinipop by Trinipop | WINTER PARK, FL
Aug 19, 2012

Love the Dove! They have every girl in all shades of brown. Lightest to darkest!

mahnooratif by mahnooratif | edmonton, OU
Aug 16, 2012

i think people just missed the fact that the companies/brands are focussing on one point, and that one point ISNT real or fake! its ' be happy with what you are cuz everyones specail in their own way!' (: i think people jus need time to think bout it for a while!

lorpott by lorpott | New York, NY
Aug 10, 2012

I'm not sure if the people who are defending the dove models are just jealous... but... I think the whole problem is the fact that every women/girl is insecure of how they look - that's why they strive to look like some victoria secret (or any other brand) models. And I hate it when people say "The Dove models are 'real' women. That's how 'real' women are supposed to look like". What do you mean 'real'? So the victoria secret models are...'fake'? So they're not human beings? They're not women? So they're men? I'm not so sure what you're trying to say there. The problem is not the media - and its definitely not the models. It's just the stupid assumptions that people (especially women) make, in regards of their looks. I do not look like the VS models, but it doesn't make me feel ugly, nor does it actually make me look ugly.

dkschenck by dkschenck | LA MESA, CA
Aug 09, 2012

I love the Dove commercial. I wish they had included some naturally thin, healthy women. Victoria's Secret can't include the Dove girls because they don't market to most normal sized women. The thing I am most upset about is the fact that the world and the media pits us women against each other and we keep falling for it!!! Wake up, ladies before it's too late!!!

lweaver021 by lweaver021 | RALEIGH, NC
Aug 02, 2012

The Dove ladies are way sexier. Just sayin. :)

meganwenzel by meganwenzel | Coleman, WI
Aug 02, 2012

i like the VS campaign, just because their bras are way cuter. but, it would have been nice to see more of a variety in the Dove campaign, considering they are saying that you should love your body just the way it is. so you should not love your body if you are skinny and tall? i'm not saying that it's not refreshing to see average sized women in Dove's ad, but if they are going to go that far, why not take it all the way?

msfriendly by msfriendly | MONROE, WI
Aug 02, 2012

I agree that the Dove campaign using "real" women is the way it should be.