So little advertising actually commands anyone’s attention anymore, yet Dove’s campaign has been provocative—good and bad. Hallelujah. That’s the kind of risk-taking we rarely see. Yet award show judges will avoid it—in much the same way they’d avoid the fat chicks near the pool at Loews Santa Monica.

More great stuff, Mr. G. I'm glad you're on our team.

While the dove lady is not quite as uneven and flawed as the average American woman, I commend Dove greatly for advertising for "real" women. The thing is, they are realizing that you could use a super sexy model and guys will stare and love your ad, butin the end they are not going to go buy the product, and women are smarter than to think that this product is going to turn them into a super model. By using a pretty, but "normal" every day woman, women feel that this product relates to them on a more personal level. I LOVE IT!

I agree that most of the ads that win creative awards (and I've won my share, including a Gold Lion) tend to talk to other creatives. Sometimes it's seems the client is just used to get another award rather than speak on behalf of the client to the consumer. I applaud Dove for doing a remarkable job in connecting with their audience and doing it in an engaging way which everyone can relate to. I'd definitely give this campaign a creative award. And, the way the buzz is circulating it probably will win an Effie. Congratulations.

Matthew

The Dove ads do nothing more than continue to promote that "real women" need fixing. Here you go ladies, we applaud that you are beautiful as you are, however, slather on this creme and firm it up so you can look more like the models we usually feature.

Not very creative at all...!!

Is there anything more obnoxious or self-serving than creative awards? A bunch of self-aggrandazing wannabe's convene to stroke one another about how clever they are and treat the event as if it were the Oscars...thinking "Wow. I've really accomplished something. I made a cool advertisement. I wonder if there are more shrimp puffs?"

The Effies may be the "red-headed stepchild" of communications...but for the money my clients have shelled out over the years to get noticed AND receive a return on their investment... they're the only awards that should really matter. Because they celebrate what our clients (hopefully) really want: RESULTS!

We create advertising to get results. If the "buzz" we generate gets more folks to buy what we're selling, then we've succeeded.

But to admire advertising for advertising's sake is a fruitless, masturbatory endeavor.

True dat, Sandy. It's a lovely irony that Dove is dressing up its ad campaign as something revolutionary and socially progressive, with the goal of selling anti-cellulite cream.

True dat, Daniel. Advertising is just a piece of a broader marketing strategy. Perhaps we need awards for product management, distribution deals, and pricing decisions.