Was Dove doomed before they started?

I admit, I was as enamored with Dove's Campaign for Real Beauty as everyone else. I loved the premise behind it and the execution of it--so much so that I bought one of their new body wash products as a result. And that's where it fell apart for me. The ingredient list was longer than my grocery list and had words on it I could barely pronounce much less know what they were or how they'd affect my skin. How could a brand that stood for "real beauty" have so many "unreal" ingredients in it? Granted, I'm not a scientist so all those ingredients could be naturally derived. But if they were, why wouldn't the brand have said so? I know I would have made a big deal of it.

Product performance aside, I also think Dove was doomed to fail because people's actions and their beliefs still don't line up when it comes to beauty. I know I'm guilty as charged. I tell my daughter all the time that she is beautiful just the way she is...that beauty is more about who you are on the inside and what you do than how you look. And yet, I slather on the anti-aging cream, wear make-up even on the weekends, and am always "watching what I eat." Truth is, so are all my friends. Even my 73-year-old mom won't go out unless she has "her face on." It's hard to break old habits. It's hard to go against the grain of every media and entertainment outlet bombarding us with their definition of beauty. But that doesn't' mean the effort isn't worth it. It does mean there will be wins and losses along the way. Success can't only be measured in numbers of products sold but in number of lives changed.

Should Dove give up? Absolutely not. Should they tweak their product line? I think so. Should they seek to understand who their loyalists are and serve them first and foremost? You bet. After all, their actions do speak louder than their words. If Dove can capitalize on both, they won't only see their market share increase, they'll see their cultural impact grow.