Dive Brief:
Dove, a well-known personal care brand, has joined forces with animated social media influencer Lenny for a mental health-themed campaign on Instagram and TikTok during Thanksgiving.
Lenny is an animated blob who was introduced last year to promote positivity through a gentle voice and songs. With over 4 million followers on TikTok and Instagram, Lenny is shared by celebrities such as Kim Kardashian and Jennifer Aniston.
The content push is part of Dove’s nearly 20-year-old Self-Esteem project, which recently focused on the pitfalls of comparison driven by social media. This campaign aims to bring some self-confidence to those who may need it, continuing its years-long efforts to promote self-esteem through its marketing.
Diving Insights:
Thanksgiving can be a stressful holiday for some people, especially as they try to balance their gatherings of family and friends with the Norman Rockwell sentiment often associated with the gathering. Anticipating unhealthy scrutiny over the holiday weekend, Dove’s effort aims to bring some self-confidence to those who may need it, continuing its years-long campaign to promote self-esteem through its marketing.
Lenny is an animated character who talks about mental health and overcoming obstacles in a simple, accessible way. The three-day campaign kicks off on Monday, Nov. 20 with an animated Instagram post of the social media influencer singing a song of love and positivity with lyrics like “You’ve got glow, light, and glow that radiates from your head to your toes.” The campaign was developed by Razorfish.
Earlier this year, the Dove Self-Esteem Project launched the Child Online Safety Campaign which shifts the brand’s platform messaging beyond what individuals can do to maintain self-esteem to a broader focus on legislative action that could help protect children and young people from the negative effects that social media can have on mental health. The brand created the Dove Self-Esteem Project in 2004 in partnership with the Center for Appearance Research at the University of