Dove’s ‘Body Positive’ Body Wash Bottles
In 2017, Dove launched a new line of body washes in the U.K. that came in six different bottle shapes, meant to represent different women’s body types.
The Backlash
While the bottles were meant to send a message of body inclusivity, some felt they were problematic.
“This is a naval-gazing marketing exercise that patronizes women rather than celebrates them,” Sarah Benson, a London-based brand strategist, told “Today.” “The shapes invite shoppers to judge themselves against what others look like, which surely increases the sense of feeling different rather than acceptance.”
Others just thought the bottles were funny looking, with tweeters making comparisons between the Dove bottles and bottles of Mrs. Butterworth’s syrup and bear-shaped honey containers. Either way, it was a branding fail for the body care brand.
