Dove bodywash

She was blind from 14 and I am quite sure she knew what she was doing.

Of course she did! It's just the principle I object to -
using a disability to promote a product.

Why not?- should advertisers only use people who are perfect physical specimens? ( they do this most of the time)

Well, to be fair she does look pretty perfect - no one would be able to tell from the ad that she was blind. Why bother to even mention it?

I can't see anything wrong with it - why not? I don't think they were trading on any physical defect. The fact she was unable to see the product actually gave me a different perspective in that she was more attuned to the feel of the bodywash and the effect on her skin. Are we only to see "perfect" people on our advertisements. Surely that would be very discriminatory.

My son is disabled and would love the opportunity to earn shed loads of money from it. Surely, we all want equal opportunities so why not for a beautiful blind girl.

I'm not saying that people with a disability should be discriminated against (i.e used in adverts etc). My point is this - Dove are trading on the girls disability to promote a product, and in my opinion that's not right. I just don't agree with it. I realise I am in the minority (although a couple of friends agree with me, in fact it was one who brought it to my attention).

I will not persist, however!

Oh the irony of your post fairydoll
In one breath your rooting for the disabled, and then you want to take away the means of the woman to earn decent money. The sad part is, you'll never see or understand how bizarre your thinking is.

I agree petra also one could say models were trading on their perceived physical attributes.

I understand what you're trying to say Fairydoll but I think that as she's an adult, and as long as she's benefitting from it, all power to her.

Oh, for goodness sake Petra, I'm not saying I want to take away the girls living!!! She's a pretty girl who could have been used in the advert without drawing attention to her disability. We all knows it's soft and smells nice etc etc

I just don't think any disability (physical or mental) should be used by a company to promote how wonderful their products are. A friend who is partially sighted said it made her 'uncomfortable' and was a step too far. And I agree.

Ana. EXACTLY

Yes I think the principle is wrong. It is specifically using the fact she is disabled to play on the pity of some members of the public.

"That brave blind girl making this TV appearance." "I will buy some to help her ".
But they chose a particularly attractive young woman. They would not choose some one who was very physically disabled and looked it.

I don't think the girl is being exploited but some of the public are. The girl is probably adding her fees to her college fund.

I had a colleague years ago who had early sight loss he was not anyone to be pitied. He was very mobile with his white cane and very adventurous, he used to hate the "poor brave blind man, "Does he take sugar" syndrome.

Dove seem to have been the first to show older people, larger people, etc on their ads (which apparently increased their sales by a huge amount)
So, using a disabled person seems to be a natural progression for them.

I'd hate to be in advertising these days as it's so easy to upset so many groups of people that advertisers seem to include as many as possible. I'm currently bemused by the KFC advert that shows a chicken dancing around. Now, I don't eat a lot of meat but am not a vegetarian and I've never had a KFC; neither has the S.O. So for quite a while we've planned to have a KFC; it would probably be a one off. However, seeing this chicken dancing around has completely ruled out any chance of me having one.

I was thinking along the same lines as MissAdventure - Dove seems to use 'Real People' in its adverts, not 'perfect' models.

If companies use 'perfect' models to advertise their products are they trying to tell us (subliminally or overtly) that we will become perfect if we use their product?

Are Dove 'trading on a physical defect' to promote their product? I'm not sure that they needed to state that fact but perhaps the model is thinking along the lines of equal opportunities for all and is encouraging other young people to realise that they should not be held back by disability.

Tegan2 and I am laughing in disbelief (haven't seen the advert)!

The Dove Real Beauty Pledge:
www.dove.com/uk/stories/about-dove/dove-real-beauty-pledge.html

I must say I agree with what they say

(I use Fenjal myself [shhh])

I would LIKE to be vegetarian but, as with chocolate, if I tried to ban meat from my life I would crave it. But I do [cowardly] have to disassociate what I'm eating with a real animal. I saw the ad for the first time in the cinema; turned to the S.O. and said, has this put you off having a KFC and he agreed. I used to work in market research so I'm quite fascinated by advertising. As for Dove; it actually makes me itch [but then, most things do].

A lot of products make me itch; I did wonder if our tap water is over-chlorinated and that could be the cause. Since I started using Fenjal it seems better. However, someone suggested that it could be hair conditioner that is the problem.

Presumably the girl was aware of the content of the ad and agreed to go along with it. I vaguely remember an ad with Johnny Peacock, the paralympian in it, though I can't remember what the ad was for. I think some advertisers are trying hard with diversity and thats all to the good in my opinion.

most things make you itch, most things annoy me, but if I've got the chance to earn a bit extra, then I will, so good luck to the girl.

Its a bit disrespectful to the blind subject of the ad, really. Presumably she has her wits about her. If I was featured, with my many flaws, I would know full well that was the reason I was chosen, but I would applaud the idea. If everyone felt it was exploitative to feature anyone less than 'perfect' people, then adverts would never evolve to more realistic values.

MissAdventure
I am not sure what part of the post you think is a bit disrespectful to the blind subject of the ad?

Ana Yes, that is part of my objection.

Wildswan16 you seem to have well and truly fallen for the advertising narrative there.

The fact she was unable to see the product actually gave me a different perspective in that she was more attuned to the feel of the bodywash and the effect on her skin.
Supposing they did a proper double blind trial . (Sorry about the unavoidable pun) do you really think you could tell what you are using? You would not been told the manufacturer and neither would those testing.

As it is that advert has already been currently highly advertised. So we have already been fed lots about Dove from the advertisers.

As you can probably tell I really do not "get" advertisers hype about any particular products and I do not go for what the advertising industry call "top brands." Which probably means the most advertised rather than anything to do with quality.