Dove launch "Be Real" body confidence campaign across social

Beauty brand Dove has launched a new campaign to inspire people to put healthy living above appearance in a bid to tackle low body confidence.

Dove has partnered with a number of charities, trade associations and businesses to launch “Be Real: Body Confidence for Everyone”.

The campaign has been developed in response to a 2012 report by the All Party Parliamentary Group for Body Image, which found (among other stats) that 16 million people in the UK ‘depressed’ due to the way they think they look.

Dove will support Be Real, which has a social media marketing campaign, by distributing best practice and resources, piloting programmes in partnership with schools to raise awareness from a young age to “ensure the right information and resources are available to help build body confidence,” it said.

Mark Bleathman, VP brand building at Unilever, said: “At Dove, we are committed to building a world where beauty is a source of confidence, not anxiety. Through the work of the Dove Self-Esteem Project, we create educational resources for young people to help inspire them to feel good about their appearance and to reach their potential in life.

“Working with the Be Real Campaign, we will continue to champion a broader, more inclusive definition of beauty,” he added.

Caroline Nokes MP, chair of the APPG for Body Image, said: “Low body confidence is a critical public health issue that we cannot ignore. It affects everyone – all ages, both sexes – and starts as young as five years old. Be Real wants to change attitudes to body image, and help all of us, whatever our size, ethnicity or ability, to put health above appearance and be confident with how we look and feel.”