Dove makes women compliment themselves without realising it
Imagine what you'd say about your body when you don't know it's yours. You'd probably be a lot nicer. That's why Dove introduces The Real Compliment - an experiment for the biggest compliment of them all.
Script
A large, softly lit studio, waiting to be filled with something meaningful. The door opens. A woman steps inside, wearing coloured underwear. Her face shows a mix of nerves and excitement.
VO: "We all experience insecurity from time to time. And when that happens, it’s hard to overshadow those insecurities with kindness."
Another woman, then another, entering the studio. Each unique, each a little unsure, but all beautiful in their own way. The photographer helps them into perfect poses.
VO: ”Sometimes, you need a little help to see yourself clearly. And the best way to do that... is through a compliment."
The women are now facing a new task backstage.
PHOTOGRAPHER "Now, I want you to give compliments to each other."
The women smile, slowly easing into the task. One by one, they compliment the photos, not knowing whose image they're praising.
VO: "Everyone goes home with a bunch of compliments. But to focus on what truly matters, we did something special."
Montage: photos getting edited: background shifting, colours swirling and frames are altered. But the body remains untouched - real, raw and unaltered.
VO: "The photos are secretly transformed to make them unrecognizable... while the most important thing remains the same: their bodies, just as they are meant to be."
A woman scrolls through the transformed photos, offering heartfelt, sincere compliments. She smiles, unaware that one of the photos she's complimenting is her own.
VO: "Little did they know, they just gave the most powerful compliment of all."
The woman enters a room with a large screen. She sits down, watching a series of compliments from the other women. Her face slowly shifts from curiosity to surprise, then to deep realization.
On the screen, we see her complimenting her own image without knowing it was hers all along.
WOMAN ON SCREEN: "This one is so graceful... she looks strong. Confident."
Her eyes widen - a moment of revelation. Her expression softens. She smiles.
VO: "Because the best compliment you can get... is the one you give yourself."