Greenpeace targets Unilever’s climate credentials in Dove ‘Real Beauty’ spoof
Greenpeace U.K. released a spoof ad, “Toxic Influence: The Dark Side of Dove,” targeting Unilever’s use of plastic in response to Dove’s “Real Beauty” campaign’s 20th anniversary. The video mirrors Dove’s previous ad that addressed social media’s harmful influence on young women, but shifts focus to plastic pollution. Greenpeace accuses Unilever of being a major contributor to global plastic waste, citing the industry-giant’s production of 6.4 billion plastic sachets in 2022. The ad juxtaposes positive perceptions of Dove’s inclusive messaging with the environmental damage caused by plastic pollution, urging Dove to stop using single-use plastics.
Takeaways
Ask anyone in the marketing world and they’ve probably cited the Dove “Real Beauty” campaign as one of the tentpole successes and turning points of the industry. But since its launch in the early aughts, consumers have become increasingly educated and expect more than a surface-level campaign.
When a company has marketing success, they’re under the spotlight more than ever in every aspect of their business. Dove has had many opportunities over the last 20 years to use the success of this campaign to make significant environmental change in addition to social change. Let this be a lesson to all companies – tying marketing campaigns to real efforts is no longer optional, it’s imperative.
The green bubble conundrum lives on
At Apple’s recent Glowtime event, the tech giant unveiled new iPhones, a watch, earbuds, and intelligent software features, drawing millions of eager viewers. Yet one frustration remains—the green text bubble issue still hasn’t been resolved.
Takeaways
Early in my career, I worked with leading consumer tech brands like Huawei and TCL, sparking my passion for consumer tech’s impact on daily life. Though I was an iPhone user, Huawei’s Nexus 6P became a favorite for its premium features, but I faced the “Green Bubble Conundrum”—the divide between Apple and Android users, symbolized by the green and blue text bubbles. Friends often excluded me from group chats because I was an Android user.
Apple’s iOS 18 now supports Rich Communication Services (RCS), improving texting between iPhone and Android users with features like read-receipts and typing indicators. However, Apple still separates users by bubble color, and issues like SMS reversion and a lack of end-to-end encryption persist. While progress has been made, I still wonder—why categorize texts by color? Maybe next year’s update will finally fix this.
TikTok’s U.S. future potentially in jeopardy as court trials continue
TikTok is currently ensnared in an ongoing legal battle in the United States that could determine its future operations within the country. The legal disputes center on national security concerns and data privacy issues, and skepticism grows of the validity of TikTok’s challenges as three judges continue to probe their questioning of legislation requiring its parent company, ByteDance, to sell the platform by Jan. 19.
Takeaways
With TikTok facing a public ban in the U.S., It is important to recognize how the legal and social aspects of the potential ban can impact brand image, business operations and future campaigns. It might be worth time and investment for PR professionals to counsel clients on the development of strategies addressing legal landscapes, regulatory challenges and other industry compliance measures that could impact the company.
Although it is unlikely a case like this will impact any clients at this scale, trust in the brand can wane if a client suffers from legal consequences stemming from the central operations of the business. Brand image management requires addressing public perception and maintaining business continuity, and PR professionals should advise clients to prepare detailed crisis communication plans that address both immediate legal issues and long-term reputation.
Instagram’s ‘Teen Accounts’: A brand’s attempt to fix the issues it helped create
Introducing “Teen Accounts,” Instagram’s latest move to enhance safety for users under 18. These accounts come with automatic privacy settings, limit unauthorized contact, and block access to sensitive content like cosmetic procedures or sexually suggestive material. The rollout will affect existing accounts in the US, UK, Australia, and Canada over the next 60 days, and includes limits on screen time to combat unhealthy social media habits, with more parental control over what teens can access.
Instagram is using AI to verify users’ ages, especially those who might lie, by analyzing interactions, content engagement, and even selfies or videos. This system aims to create a more secure and age-appropriate experience for teens, shielding them from harmful content while addressing concerns from parents and lawmakers about online safety and bullying.
Takeaways
Meta is tackling the spread of misleading and inappropriate content, a growing issue in today’s social media-driven world. With the rise of influencer culture, it’s unclear how this shift will impact the future landscape, but empowering parents and protecting teens is a necessary step. The pandemic has highlighted the negative effects of social media on teens’ mental health, and it’s alarming that platforms are now tasked with curbing the very addictions they’ve fueled.
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