Media, Construction and Deconstruction of Beauty Myth : – A Case Study of Dove’s Real Beauty Campaign

Abstract: The paper examines the media portrayal of real women in Dove’s Real Beauty Campaign. Through the semiotic analysis and reception analysis of the ad “Evolution”, the author investigates how Dove attempts to challenge the myth in most beauty advertising and present the “real beauty” idea to the audiences. The study further discusses about the gender issues aroused from the campaign. The findings show that the untouchable images of women are created under the pressures of male-dominated culture. In terms of feminism, the definition of beauty needs to be diversified. The significance of the campaign lies in its business success and social meaning as well. In the end, the paper reviews the impacts of this five-year-old campaign and gives further suggestions on its future development.Keywords:Real Beauty, Denotation, Connotation, Myth, Self-esteem, Media, Feminism, Gender