TLDR: Dove, in partnership with VML South Africa, is actively working to combat the narrow and unrealistic beauty standards perpetuated by generative AI. Through initiatives like the ‘Real Beauty Generation’ microsite, a ‘Prompt Playbook,’ and an AI-driven tool with Pinterest, the campaign aims to train AI to reflect diverse and authentic beauty, challenging the current bias towards stereotypical ideals. This effort comes as 90% of online content is predicted to be AI-generated by 2025, with a global study revealing that one in three women feel pressured to alter their appearance due to online beauty standards.
In a significant move to counter the pervasive influence of artificial intelligence on beauty standards, Dove, in collaboration with VML South Africa, has launched a multi-faceted campaign titled ‘Real Beauty in the AI Era.’ This initiative seeks to redefine how AI perceives and generates images of beauty, ensuring a more inclusive and authentic representation of women globally. The campaign’s urgency is underscored by alarming statistics: it is estimated that by 2025, 90% of online content could be AI-generated, and a recent global study by Dove, involving 33,000 people across 20 countries, revealed that one in three women feel pressured to alter their appearance due to unrealistic online beauty standards.
The core problem identified by Dove and VML South Africa is that current AI models, trained on existing internet data, predominantly perpetuate stereotypical, Western-skewed beauty ideals. This reinforcement of ‘perfection’ makes it increasingly difficult for women to see themselves authentically represented online. While Dove initially pledged to avoid AI-generated models in its own advertising, the brand quickly recognized the need for a more proactive approach to influence the broader digital landscape.
To address this, Dove and VML South Africa have developed several innovative tools and strategies. One key aspect involves actively training AI to incorporate human characteristics often labeled as ‘flaws,’ such as age spots, freckles, wrinkles, and vitiligo, alongside a wider spectrum of skin tones and diverse ethnic features.
A central component of the campaign is the ‘Real Beauty Generation’ microsite, developed using Adobe Firefly’s beta API. This platform allows users to generate images of women with inclusive prompts, including features like acne scarring, laugh lines, and deep-set wrinkles, and then rate these images. This interactive process helps to feed more diverse data into AI learning models.
Further empowering users, Dove has introduced the ‘Real Beauty Prompt Playbook.’ This resource provides easy-to-use tips and a glossary of terms to guide individuals in creating images that are truly representative of real beauty across popular generative AI programs, thereby fostering more inclusive prompting.
In an AI-driven partnership with Pinterest, Dove also launched the ‘Real Beauty DNA’ tool. This innovative feature enables women to define beauty on their own terms by selecting diverse images and inner traits, such as ‘Brave’ or ‘Creative.’ The tool then generates personalized, shareable videos and, crucially, actively retrains Pinterest’s AI algorithm to reshape user feeds, promoting authentic and diverse beauty representations.
Dominique Baxewanos, Creative Director at VML South Africa, emphasized the regional impact of this initiative, stating, “We have an opportunity to drive further African and South African representation within Generative AI through prompts reflective of the diverse races and ethnicities in our region.” The campaign has already demonstrated significant reach, delivering 787 million impressions. On Pinterest alone, it engaged 27 million people, with a homepage takeover generating 29 million impressions. Engagement rates among women on Pinterest were 21.4% higher than benchmarks, and brand association with ‘Real Beauty’ messaging increased by 2.9 points.
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These efforts highlight Dove’s ongoing commitment, spanning two decades since its original ‘Campaign for Real Beauty,’ to champion inclusivity and challenge narrow beauty ideals, now extending its influence into the rapidly evolving realm of artificial intelligence.
