Dove and Ogilvy highlight impact of anti-ageing skincare trend on 10-year-old girls

Dove and Ogilvy have launched “10 vs 10” in reaction to the rise in young girls using inappropriate anti-ageing products. 

The print and out-of-home campaign juxtaposes pictures of 10-year-old girls. On the left, carefree girls are shown singing karaoke, posing in hats and riding carousels. On the right, girls of the same age are carrying out anti-ageing skincare routines.

Under the images, Dove asks: “Why did 10 stop looking like this?”

Media planning and buying has been done by Mindshare, with the campaign focusing on OOH sites in shopping centres and publications that have been tackling the topic of unrealistic beauty standards.

The campaign also features a QR-code link to free online resources that can help parents and caregivers have conversations with girls about the use of inappropriate skincare. 

Dan Fisher, global executive creative director for Unilever at Ogilvy, said the campaign sent an “urgent message”.

“Placing two images side-by-side serves as an emotional reminder of the freedom that young girls had to be themselves before the rise of social media," he said.

"'10 vs 10' can steer the right conversation by raising awareness of the growing problem and offering crucial resources.”

“10 vs 10” supports Dove's and Ogilvy's #TheFaceof10, a social and influencer-led campaign launched last month highlighting how young girls’ faces should be covered with glitter and stickers rather than anti-ageing products such as retinol.

Firdaous El Honsali, global vice-president at Dove, said the brand had “taken action” for the past two decades to build “confidence and self-esteem for millions of girls”.

She added: “Today, our girls are anti-ageing before they’ve even started to grow up and need us more than ever.”