Dive Brief:

• Dove has partnered with animated social media influencer Lennnie for a mental health-themed campaign on Instagram and TikTok running up to Thanksgiving, according to materials provided by the company.  
• Lennnie is an animated blob introduced last year to promote positivity through a gentle speaking voice and songs. Lennnie has amassed more than 4 million followers on TikTok and Instagram and has been shared by celebrities including Kim Kardashian and Jennifer Aniston.
• The content push is part of the nearly 20-year-old Dove Self-Esteem Project, which has recently focused on the pitfalls of comparison driven by social media. 

Dive Insight:

Thanksgiving can be a stressful holiday for some, particularly as people use social media to try to align their gatherings of family and friends with the Norman Rockwellian sentiment that’s often attached to the gathering. Anticipating some unhealthy scrutiny over the holiday weekend, Dove’s effort is meant to inject a little confidence for those who may need it, continuing its years-long campaign of promoting self-esteem through its marketing. 

Lennnie is an animated character who talks about mental health and overcoming obstacles in a simple, approachable manner. The three-day campaign kicks off on Monday, Nov. 20, with a post on Instagram from the animated social media influencer singing a song of love and positivity with lyrics such as, “You’ve got a shine and a light and a glow, and it radiates from your head to your toes.” The campaign was developed by Razorfish. 

Earlier this year, the Dove Self-Esteem Project launched the Campaign for Kids Online Safety, which moves the brand platform’s messaging beyond what individuals can do to maintain self-esteem to a broader focus on legislative action that could help protect kids and young adults from the ill effects social media can have on mental health.  

The brand created the Dove Self-Esteem Project in 2004 in partnership with the Centre for Appearance Research at the University of West England. The project’s purpose is to help the younger generation develop a positive relationship with their looks so they are not held back by appearance-related anxiety.