Dream Teams: Juliana Curi and Amy Rosenberg on Forging a Creative Kinship for Dove’s Latest Campaign

For director Juliana Curi and editor Amy Rosenberg, authenticity stands as the unwavering cornerstone in crafting powerful advertising campaigns. Despite their paths having never crossed before, both hold this principle sacrosanct, enabling them to maintain fidelity to their creative visions.

When the two do initially meet - on Zoom, with Amy in California and Juliana in Brazil - their unified moral compass becomes immediately apparent. Brought together to collaborate on “The Dove Code”, the film presented an opportunity to push the envelope on an issue both deem incredibly important. 

Set to be another ground breaking campaign in Dove’s year work of championing Real Beauty, the brief for 'The Dove Code' delved into the sensitive theme of AI and the repetition of oppressive cycles throughout history. Taking things a step further, the film interprets AI-generated outcomes of what “Real Beauty” truly means. 

Symbolising Dove's enduring dedication to reshaping unrealistic beauty standards by platforming real women of all shapes, sizes and colours in their ads, the project was led by an all-female production and post team from Brazilian agency Soko, Saigon, Cut+Run, and The Mill. 

Brazilian-Latina film director and filmmaker Juliana has delivered numerous award-winning projects centred around feminism, diversity, and social change. With over a decade of experience as a film director, she is known for her unwavering leadership spirit, her calm confidence in juggling large teams across different time zones, and her character-driven narratives that place women and Latinxs at the centre of her work. 

Elsewhere, in the editing world, Amy has long been celebrated for her intuitive storytelling and impeccable sense of style and timing. Viewing her craft as part art, part science, her unmatched skill for balancing visual and narrative elements sees her artfully and accurately capture the tone of any creative brief. 

When first presented with the brief, Juliana immediately identified that the cornerstone of constructing the powerful narrative would be a talented editor, someone who could bring our vision to life with precision and artistry. 

“I was searching for someone with exceptional craft, a powerful visual storytelling ability, and extensive experience with global brands,” she says. “That’s when I met Amy. Her body of work, particularly her film ‘Her’ for International Women’s Day, showcased her incredible style, voice, and creative vision. It was clear to me that she was key to the success of The Dove Code.”

The feeling was mutual, with Amy interpreting Juliana’s body of work as equally impactful. “Her work blew me away with its powerful, meaningful stories and visually stunning, unique style. We gelled from the start, on both a personal and professional level, often on the same page regarding creative vision and experimentation.” 

Their mutual devotion to inclusivity, representation, and effective storytelling sparked a magical exchange from the offset. During one of their first sessions, Amy asked Juliana about her favourite kind of work. She recalls how Juliana told her, “as long as it tells a story and makes an impact, the medium doesn’t matter to me.” Given the infinite variety of preferences and specific goals directors are known for, Amy found this response to be refreshing and, “quite frankly, badass.”

In speaking to them, it becomes evident that their combined cultures - Juliana as a Latina woman from Brazil, and Amy’s Jewish heritage - have helped shape their voices, social consciousness, and worldview. While this has also played a role in their budding creative partnership, they believe the true essence of their creative connection is rooted in something universal: the women’s agenda. “Our shared commitment to gender equality and representation makes us not only allies but great creative partners too. In a nutshell, I would describe our partnership as ‘Creativity meeting Sorority’”, says Juliana. 

‘The Dove Code’ presented Amy and Juliana with an ideal opportunity to demonstrate a shared belief that craft and socio-cultural impact can and should coexist. Together they aimed to create an atmosphere that symbolically represented the digital world while maintaining premium craft worthy of celebrating the brand’s 20-year legacy of ‘Real Beauty’. 

In bringing this vision to life, it was important to both of them that the creative process accurately represented the message at the heart of the brief. They discussed how building a team with multiple viewpoints and incorporating diverse perspectives was of optimum importance to the innovative, creative, rich, and representative outcome. 

“I’m proud to say that this global campaign was led by a team of talented women with disabilities, LGBTQIAP+ individuals, BIPOC, and Latinxs, fostering a rich construction of subjectivity,” says Juliana. “The impact of this creative decision is evident in the connection we established with our audience. The inclusion of women in all leadership positions, where subjectivities are constructed, was as crucial as the final result itself.”

Amy wholeheartedly agrees with this sentiment. “As a woman navigating the pressures of society's beauty standards, this project resonated deeply with me. I knew it would be special - combining my passion for making a lasting impact, challenging beauty norms, advocating for representation, and endless opportunities for creative exploration alongside an all-female team. I was thrilled to support Dove's push for realistic and healthy beauty ideals. Throughout the editing process, we paid close attention to the visual representation and diversity of women, considering all ages, races, body types, and cultural backgrounds, ensuring no one was left behind.”

With Juliana's expertise in feminist narratives and Amy's mastery in visual storytelling, this Dream Team seamlessly integrated Dove's message of real beauty into a compelling digital narrative. Employing an inclusive approach, celebrating diversity and amplifying marginalised voices, underscores their belief in the power of creativity to provoke social change. 

As they navigate global campaigns, Juliana and Amy remain steadfast in their dedication to challenging norms and championing meaningful representation in media. Their creative synergy has proven to not only elevate brand narratives but also sets a benchmark for inclusive storytelling in advertising, inspiring audiences worldwide.