When women look and feel their best, it affects their confidence and happiness. However, 96% of women do not choose the word beautiful to describe how they look. It’s time women think about this choice differently, and the tendency to not ‘choose beautiful’ was tested by this campaign.

The challenge was to inspire women worldwide to realize that feeling beautiful is a personal choice women should feel empowered to make for themselves, every day.

In a short film, women from five cities reconsider their beauty. The women were confronted with a choice about how they see themselves: ‘average’ vs. ‘beautiful.’

A global PR strategy was crafted to launch in 70 countries simultaneously with precision. Earned media was the launchpad - the driving force of the marketing mix, encouraging women to realize they have the power to choose beautiful for themselves.

An earned exclusive launch story with Huffington Post Women (US) was secured, enabling depth in content as well as influence on a global level. Dove aligned influencers worldwide like Tina Brown serving as presenting partner of the Women in the World Summit, which extended and amplified the conversation among women on and offline globally.

In a first for the brand, self-esteem resources were developed for women, by Dove global advisory board members, related to mindfulness, and available on the campaign Tumblr.

After just two weeks:

• Over 4 Billion PR impressions globally

• 100 million film views globally

• Social mentions with an overwhelmingly positive sentiment at 98%

Brand research identified that 4% of women around the world would choose ‘beautiful’ to describe themselves. Choose Beautiful was designed to urge the other 96% to realize that feeling beautiful is a choice they should feel empowered to make for themselves.

The campaign sought to reinforce the Dove brand’s thought leadership and credibility in the beauty conversation.

Measurement is based on earned media impressions, quality of placements, and share of positive sentiment in earned media and social. In addition, PR drove YouTube views of the film and visits to the Choose Beautiful Tumblr campaign hub.

Highlights – after just two weeks:

• Over 4 billion PR impressions globally

• 100 million film views globally

• 125,000 social mentions globally, with 67% using #ChooseBeautiful and positive sentiment of 98%

• Visits to the Choose Beautiful Tumblr exceeded 3 million, with average duration remaining strong at 2 min

• Total PR placements globally: 1,118

• Global Average Placement Score (composite score of a PR placement such as key message delivery, editorial prominence, media outlet significance): 7 out of 10

• Online Engagement Messaging (The percentage of PR placements driving consumers to engage with the campaign online via watching the film, using the hashtag, going to Dove.com, etc.): 39%

• Percentage of Positive Tonality: 80%

• Percentage of Placements with Strong Key Message Pull-through (rating at either a 4 or 5 out of 5): 45%

• Percentage of Placements from Top Tier Media Outlets: 42%

The earned launch story with Huffington Post (US) afforded the campaign immediate and mass exposure globally, eliciting awareness, video views, social engagement. Media outreach, leveraging a host of spokespersons and assets, in over 70 markets followed instantaneously.

Events worldwide, from Canada to Argentina, South Africa to Turkey, Greece to the Nordics, immersed media in the campaign, sparking robust editorial coverage and social support. In the US, Tina Brown shared her perspective on #ChooseBeautiful and posted socially.

Markets engaged influencers to contribute to the conversation. Influencers shared why they Chose Beautiful and invited fans to participate. Influencers were then targeted with deeper engagement and gratitude for their support.

Campaign execution culminated at Women in the World. Dove championed women, exploring myths about decision-making, emphasizing the link between beauty, confidence, performance.

Dove aims to inspire women to develop a positive relationship with beauty, so that they may realize their full potential. When women recognize the beauty in themselves, they have the powerful ability to positively impact the next generation. Dove research found that 96% of women do not choose the word beautiful to describe themselves. The brand sought to encourage women to reconsider the inward choices they make about their appearance and how those choices make them feel.

Dove, manufactured by Unilever, is a global personal care brand.

PR strategy was rooted in bringing to life through a global, multicultural lens how women struggle with recognizing their beauty. 96% of women in the UK and 82% in China express some lack of confidence about the way they look. The film was presented as an illustration of these insights and implemented as a vehicle to inspire women to seize the opportunity to choose beautiful.

Fundamental to the strategy was bringing on board influential voices – from the film’s real women to local market’s diverse blend of women’s and beauty influencers to Tina Brown – to reach and impact women in a genuine, relatable way.

Finally, it was crucial that Choose Beautiful launched via a major earned launch story with global reach and influence to trigger a cascade of editorial coverage from the full media landscape propelling video views and social engagement.