Dove Challenges Women's Representation in Gaming with Avatars Inspired by Real Women

Dove enters the world of gaming with the global launch of Real Virtual Beauty, a campaign by LOLA MullenLowe that challenges the representation of women in games, supported by allies across the industry including Epic Games’ Unreal Engine’s education team and Women in Games. 

The campaign was inspired by a new research study from Dove, in association with Women in Games, showing that 60% of girls and 62% of women feel misrepresented in games, with over one third of young girls' self-esteem being negatively impacted by the current lack of diversity across avatar characters.

Dove and LOLA MullenLowe created a series of avatars inspired by real women that portray a diverse mix of real beauty with each of them delivering a message to challenge why they are not being represented with the call to action, ‘Let’s make virtual beauty, real’.

The launch of Real Virtual Beauty comes with a series of commitments and actions in partnership with Epic Games and Unreal Engine, like the Real Beauty in Games Training Programme that will help to broaden beauty representation and redefine how women and girls are symbolised in games. In parallel, Dove is equipping the next generation of creators and players with the tools to build self esteem and body confidence through the launch of SuperU Story, the world’s first Roblox experience - in partnership with Toya.

The campaign launched at the EGX gaming event in London and is supported by an outdoor and social targeted campaign.

“Dove believes that beauty should be a source of confidence, not anxiety, in every aspect of life, both real and virtual. Although the games industry has made significant strides to become more inclusive, progress needs to be accelerated to challenge the narrow definitions of beauty still visible in the virtual world. We hope to make a real impact on the millions of women and girls who are spending their free time playing games.” says Leandro Barreto, Dove Global Vice President

“The toxic role that television or movies used to play in culture is now often experienced in the world of gaming. From a very young age, millions of girls are exposed to the negative stereotypes of beauty that games can portray. The Dove Real Virtual Beauty project demonstrates how difficult it is for women and girls to see real representation in the world of games, but with the creation of avatars that are diverse and inclusive there is a solution to this issue” says Tomás Ostiglia, executive creative director of LOLA MullenLowe Madrid.