Thursday, January 12, 2006

Smarmy, how I love ya

I get the intention. And I almost believe the astounding claims of worldwide success. But to me, Dove's Super Bowl ad -- the earnest, multiethnic one featuring "Cyndi Lauper's True Colors, sung by the Girl Scouts Chorus of Nassau County" -- is just asking to be worked over into a new SouthPark episode.

Okay. Maybe I judge too soon. If I ever do see the spot, maybe I'll like it. Or maybe I'll be so emotionally wrecked by the revelation that body shape doesn't matter that I'll have to overeat then puke just to cope.

3 comments:

Tony Daniel said...

Further suggestions: a suicide bomber girl ("sometimes, I think America might be only a little Satan."), an anime girl ("I always worry about my celluloid thighs."), an ad copywriter ("Am I just here because I have connections?"), a supermodel ("I'm haunted by Zeno's paradox and the asymptotic nature of aesthetic symmetry. Might a strong pair of glasses help?")

HighJive said...

The new Dove spot sounds positively appalling. Admittedly, I’m a Dove hater at this point. But to present a spot with young children who allegedly hate their freckles and natural hair color is astonishingly insensitive and cynical. If these attitudes exist, we can all thank advertisers like Dove and its parent company Unilever for creating and perpetuating the White beauty standards. Wonder if the new spot features any chubby girls.

http://multicultclassics.blogspot.com/2005/08/essay-119.html

http://multicultclassics.blogspot.com/2005/12/essay-311.html

Irene Done said...

Darkcoffee -- your suggestions would actually lend some real-life authenticity to the campaign.

HighJive -- Thanks for stopping by and thanks for the links. You bring up tons of good points. And I really enjoyed your Dove post from a few days ago.

I think two things especially repel me about this campaign. First it's so stiflingly earnest and a bit simplistic. Second before it even ran, the campaign was so unanimously embraced and celebrated by the press. Those two things are probably related. It just tires me out.