Razorfish Partners with Dove to Illuminate the Cost of Harmful Beauty Ideals
Razorfish partnered with Dove to demonstrate the human toll behind the financial cost of toxic beauty standards. As part of the Dove Self-Esteem Project’s “The Real Cost of Beauty Ideals” report, Razorfish brought the data to life in multiple ways: through the development of an interactive virtual experience, and by empowering real people to tell their stories through a video series about their own struggles with the socially constructed notions of ideal beauty.
According to the Real Cost of Beauty Ideals report, beauty ideals have an annual cost of $305B to the U.S. economy due to body dissatisfaction and $501B due to appearance-based discrimination. Aiming to elevate the human experiences often eclipsed by financial figures, the Razorfish series features video testimonials of Pennie, Ashton, Jameson, Morgann and Ana that were released alongside Dove’s report. In addition to the individual stories, the Razorfish team created a film featuring all of the young people who shared testimonials to help others understand the severity of the issue and how they overcame societal pressures.
The Real Cost of Beauty Ideals report was conducted in consultation with Dr. S. Bryn Austin, Founding Director of the Strategic Training Initiative for the Prevention of Eating Disorders: A Public Health Incubator (STRIPED) at the Harvard Chan School of Public Health and Boston Children’s Hospital, and a diverse team of economists at Deloitte Access Economics along with an advisory panel of subject matter experts. It is part of the Dove Self-Esteem Project, which was established in 2004 to help the next generation develop a positive relationship with the way they look so they are not held back by appearance-related anxiety and can realize their full potential. So far, the Dove Self-Esteem Project has reached more than 82 million young people across 150 countries, making it the largest provider of body confidence education globally. By 2030, it will have helped 250 million through no-cost, academically validated tools.
Razorfish research launched earlier this year highlights the importance consumers are putting on engaging with brands that are purpose-driven, with 82% of respondents stating that the brands they buy from personally stand for a greater mission/purpose.
All of the stories are available on Dove’s YouTube channel. You can learn more about the Real Cost of Beauty Ideals report and get involved at www.dove.com/realcostofbeauty.
