"We could never create that amount of content on our own in that period."

– Leandro Barreto, Global Vice President, Dove.

Dove’s roots in the body positivity movement run deep. So when Jessia’s “I’m Not Pretty”—a bop with an uplifting message about how it’s okay to not be okay—blew up on TikTok, the brand got in touch. Just a few months after posting the chorus on her feed as an unknown musician, Jessia had a record deal, fans, and was now headlining a Dove campaign about the negative effect digital photo manipulation can have on girls’ self-esteem. “There are so many corners of TikTok that serve to anyone,” Jessia says. “It really is like the Wild West for content and that is super cool to me. You never know what’s gonna stick!” The #NoDigitalDistortion hashtag challenge reached 51 million views with positive sentiment in its first day. In three days, users had responded with 1,400 videos. “What better way to reach teen girls these days than by talking to them through TikTok creators?" Barreto says. "The influence of creators is massive, and given how much time young people spend on TikTok, we knew they would be the best voices to help build body confidence and encourage girls to post with confidence and without digital distortion.”

"I feel like TikTok accepts me in any form, whether I’m dolled up or in my sweats. I can just give on TikTok and it’s less edited."

– Jessia

Q&A with Leandro Barreto,

Global Vice President, Dove What was it like to hand your brand over to a creator? How did you develop trust?

As a marketer you need to trust the process—especially with creators on a platform like TikTok. Each creator has their own unique personality, community, voice, and style. To show up as real and authentic you need to embrace it.

How did you land on creative that fit both you and the creators?

To be completely honest, it took one round to realize we could not be too prescriptive with the creators. We had to adapt the brief in a way that really let them develop content that suited their personalities and what their fans and communities are used to seeing from them. For some creators this was taking a comedic perspective, while for others it was about having a one-to-one conversation with their communities.

How important was it to spotlight diverse voices?

At Dove we only champion diverse voices. We’ve always stood for real beauty that’s unique, diverse, and inclusive. And we want a world where beauty is a positive experience for everyone, so spotlighting diverse voices was essential to who we are as a brand.

What were your favorite comments on the campaign?

It never gets old reading comments like "Thank you for giving me confidence!" and "Thank you for helping me be more confident and loving myself more!"

"When I think about my experience on TikTok, it is very relaxed. It helps me unwind. It's very lighthearted, chill and allows me to interact in a way that is carefree and not intense."

– Leandro Barreto, Global Vice President, Dove