Following a hiatus from communicating its Real Beauty purpose in Brazil, Dove selected SOKO to spearhead projects under its new guiding principle: Let's Change Beauty.
Our initial challenge was to identify the beauty standards of summer and then reshape them.
We started with a national icon: the beaches.
Despite being spaces known for their beauty and even the diversity of their visitors, we asked: Are beaches truly democratic?
Despite being spaces known for their beauty and even the diversity of their visitors, we asked: Are beaches truly democratic?
A study conducted by Dove, SOKO, and Instituto Ideia revealed that 20% of fat people avoid certain places like bars, restaurants, and cinemas because the seating does not accommodate them. Furthermore, we found that 51% of disabled people and 42% of fat people refrain from visiting beaches due to the lack of appropriate infrastructure.
They do not feel welcomed in these spaces.
With the aim of making the beach during summer a more democratic and comfortable place, we launched the Dove campaign, "A Seat in the Sun," to allow more body types to experience summer and have a place to sit in the sun.
Initially focusing on the structural fatphobia that affects most of the country (57% of the Brazilian population considers themselves overweight, fat, or obese), the initiative was symbolized by the 'Dove chair'—designed to be twice as wide and support more weight than standard chairs, with an innovative design that kept it light and portable.
The chair, along with others of varying sizes and purposes—such as the floating chair, designed to help those with motor disabilities move from the sand to the sea—were made available for free rental on the beaches of Rio de Janeiro in the summer of 2023.
But to ensure other bodies could also enjoy the summer, we introduced the Dove Summer Space.
It offered non-binary, accessible, and more spacious bathrooms, access ramps and elevators, and physical therapists to assist with the use of the floating chairs. This space became a safe and welcoming environment, enriched with music, talks on beauty without standards, and even a photographic exhibition.
At summer's end, the chairs were donated to NGOs and local kiosks, and the designs were made freely available online so that more manufacturers could produce and distribute the model.
This project is a significant milestone in my career.
It's a real issue and one that is personal to me.
(That's me in the photo during the campaign)
(That's me in the photo during the campaign)
It's a milestone not just for the awards received, but for the significant impact on the audience.
Watching fat, elderly, or those with motor disabilities enjoying our facilities and the beach comfortably reinforced the meaning and purpose of my work.
Recognitions:
_Cannes Lion 2023: Bronze in Outdoor
_Effie Awards Brazil 2023: Bronze in Brand Experience Products
_TikTok Awards 2023: Best Campaign Focusing on DE&I
_Clube de Criação 2023: Silver in Direct Marketing and Bronze in Public Relations
_AMPRO Globes Awards 2023: Creativity Grand Prix
_Cannes Lion 2023: Bronze in Outdoor
_Effie Awards Brazil 2023: Bronze in Brand Experience Products
_TikTok Awards 2023: Best Campaign Focusing on DE&I
_Clube de Criação 2023: Silver in Direct Marketing and Bronze in Public Relations
_AMPRO Globes Awards 2023: Creativity Grand Prix
Brand: DOVE
Agency: SOKO
CEO: Felipe Simi, Brisa Vicente
COO: Felipe Belinky
CCO: Rafael Ziggy
ECD: Rafael Caldeira, Vinícius Chagas
Creative Director: Elisa Gerber
Copywriter: Maria Eduarda Buarque
Art Director: Morgana Ávila, Rafa de Prada, Eduarda Nieto, Gabriela Kalix
Content: Marina Tomaz, Julia Funari, Isabela Santos
Strategy: Mariana Cordeiro