As much as I liked the results of Dove products my opinion about this brand changed when I found out that behind every campaign was slavery. Why Dove is using "everyday women"??? BECAUSE IT IS FREE!!!!!!!!! They take those women only because they do not want to pay for models.How do I know? I was one of them but I said-NO. They told me all about it so if you think Dove takes care about every woman-WRONG! The only thing they do care-A LOT is MONEY!!!

You have a choice, so it's not slavery. Just free labour.

Well... I think working for free is slavery this days -especially for such a huge company.The name for it is: modern slavery.
I am surprised you call it like this. I think this is exactly why they are doing this - a lot of people do not care about it and support it in some way...
You know-I was told- only beautiful models from agencies deserve to be paid. Rest... like you call it "free labour". Well... in my opinion all people who are doing any job those days should be paid . Using someone's problems ,low self-esteem and low self-image to make more money is disgusting and disgraceful.
I never thought Dove was doing this.To be honest when I was contacted I though it was a scam. They are not even interested to see how you look like,they are not doing any castings,asking to send a photo so they can choose... You are suitable when you are FREE LABOUR like you call it.

Anyway after I found out I stopped thinking about Dove the same way I used to.

Magy : slavery is when you are forced, against your will, to work - and cannot escape. Doing something without pay may, at a pinch, be called "free labour" but not slavery. At the most, it is perhaps exploitation, but you are free to accept or decline.
DOVE is a profit-focussed company, like any other - they just have a very clever advertising company.

Working for free is a normal thing everyone does. Voluntering, work experience, etc. Personally I think a lot of epople would be willing to do unpaid work on television, be it for experience or just fun. I spend my wednesday afternoons cleaning skulls at a zoology musuem for free, is that slavery? No one is being forced to do it, so using the word slavery in this context makes you sound either insane, or ignorant of the english language. I can imagine a lot of people would fing you calling unpaid advert work "slavery" to be intensely insulting, consdiering what actual slavery was.

'Slavery' a strong word ...

I would be honored to be chosen to model for Dove etc. even free of charge, but that's just my opinion

Perfectly said: profit focused!!! Nothing like they saying- "we are all about real women".
It should be: "we are all about profit".
I was watching Dispatches some time ago about this called" free labour". This is called-modern slavery this days.
It is kind of shocking what you are saying:"they just have a very clever advertising company".I would call it differently. I do not think people using other people's problems and low self-image just to make bigger profit are clever. They are profit focused monsters.

Anyway...I am not buying Dove any more. I do not want to help them to grow this profit.
That is why a lot of companies try to be ethical-Dove is not one of them for sure...

You should ask yourself a question-why you would be so honored? This is exactly what I said in first place. That is exactly why they are doing this. This is sad...

All companies are about making profit. Dove managed to target another section of the population e.g. not the ones that crave to be slim and beautiful (after all their products don't give your physical appearance a facelift) but the ones that are themselves and love their curves and the ones that wish they did. They also target the elder women now as well.

I do find it a bit sad that they don't pay people for their contribution. After all I expect people are tied by contract especially if they're going to be in ads for products that haven't been launched yet and all that.

But don't ever get fooled that a company is doing you a favour... that just will never happen !

Magy, I understand what you are saying, I just said that this was my opinion.
If 'real' women are prepared to model for free, that's their choice, they are not been dragged off the streets and plonked infront of a camera semi-naked, they do it voluntarily (they probably get paid in products anyway !).
With no disrespect, I think there are bigger issues in the world than Dove's profit margins

I agree... slavery is definitely a harsh word to describe the situation... they're only after a freebie, if the women want to do it it's up to them, they're not coerced into doing it in any way.

"Dove managed to target another section of the population e.g. not the ones that crave to be slim and beautiful (after all their products don't give your physical appearance a facelift) but the ones that are themselves and love their curves and the ones that wish they did. They also target the elder women now as well." - This is exactly why I put this on this forum. This is what they want people to think and.... WOW. This forum even confirm- people think exactly what Dove wants them to think.! I was no different until I was ask to be part of it.

It is actually showing "the section of the population "they are using is so easy to manipulate and exploit... and can give them bigger profit!

Come on, Magy - surely you don't fall for every advertising campaign you see? DOVE does not claim to be "socially ethical" or have a a big social agenda - they are not an NGO. Their campaigns are about beauty products for real women - and hit the mark very well.They're selling beauty & hygiene products, not life-changing appliances...

As to payment - the women who actually appear in Dove campaigns ARE paid - what you initially referred to is probably an e-mail I also received where they were looking for ordinary women to be in a crowd shoot. I didn't go because I was not free, but it would have been fun.

I for one approve of their approach to the over-hyped and over-glamorised world of beauty products - the fact that their products are also good quality and affordable is a bonus.
And please do not insult my intelligence by telling me that I am being manipulated...

UH OH -- maybe I should just mention the fact that I was thinking "the Dove way" in the bits you quoted... I don't think that at all...

In my world, we are all little people that don't really matter too much as long as we spend money on the products. Companies lie about the virtues of their products, they'll go for cheaper crap that they have to test on animals to make sure they won't get sued, so they can squeeze a bigger profit margin out of everything sold. But as long as we keep their bank balance healthy does that really matter to them? No. Do they feel like they owe us anything? No.
I am fully aware that we're all being manipulated/targeted by companies. No, I don't believe the ads in the magazine and yes, I am well aware that they are all edited in some way or the other. And no I will not fall for a company who's using my insecurities to make profits. But you have to be aware of the fact that sadly we're in a world where the rich will always want to get richer, nevermind the little ants they're walking on !

And hence why I buy everything when it's on offer... saves me a few quid, stops them from making a few unnecessary quid out of me. If we all did that maybe they'd get a wake up call !

The women are getting something in return. They're getting to try out all those products I think I'd do that for free.

Also, because they're doing it for free there won't be women getting their kit off on tele for money, which in my mind is more unethical than not paying models in the first place.

Good point

I am not insulting anyone I am afraid... I do realize you may see it this way.That is the way people react when they realize how some things looks in reality and they do not feel very well about themselves when they realize how it looks like...I am afraid we are all manipulated by almost every company around.The bigger problems we have the more vulnerable we are...
That is not my intention.
I have noticed from what I see so far that Dove achieved 101% what they want. You still talk about Dove and "real women"....
"the women who actually appear in Dove campaigns ARE paid"-YES if they are from modeling agency. If not-like"real women" they are not paid I am afraid...

What I don't understand is why you think Dove not paying 'real women' is bad?

If you want to talk about slavery lets start chatting about Primark.

is there an emoticon for banging a head against a brick wall?

pea wrote:
What I don't understand is why you think Dove not paying 'real women' is bad?

If you want to talk about slavery lets start chatting about Primark.

indeed - or Nike