The document provides an analysis of Dove's "Campaign for Real Beauty" advertisements. It analyzes the structure and language of three Dove advertisements based on theories of advertisement discourse analysis. The structure consists of a headline, illustrations, and body copy. Through analysis of verbal and non-verbal signs, the study finds the advertisements use propaganda-like language to convey the message that Dove cares about portraying a wide range of women's beauty beyond just fashion models. The purpose is to change stereotyped beauty standards.

1. DISCOURSE ANALYSIS
Final Test Project
A Discourse Analysis of Dove “Campaign for
Real Beauty” Advertisement Based on the
Language and the Structure of the
Advertisement
Oktari Aneliya
2215081412
Reg 08 Dik A

2. ABSTRACT
Discourse of advertisements, especially in printed ads, has shown the development of an
extraordinary language phenomenon. A copywriter is able to exploit the language to be used as
the media of communicative ads, which is very interesting and persuading. This exploitation of
language, especially the mixture of verbal and non-verbal signs, makes discourse of ads an
interesting subject to explore and analyze. This study is aimed at analyzing the meaning, the
purpose, and the message, behind the advertisement of Dove Beauty Campaign by looking its
structure and the language of the advertisement. This study also analyzes the implication of the
beauty campaign for Dove itself. To study the exploitation of the language in the discourse of
advertisement, the verbal sign and non verbal sign are analyzed to find the language used and the
meaning, purpose, message, and the implication behind the advertisement. The structure and the
language of three Dove Beauty Campaign advertisements are analyzed. The study shows that
these three advertisements have three kinds of structure of an advertisement that are: (1)
headline; (2) illustration; and (3) body copy. The language use in those advertisements are kind
of propaganda. The meaning of “Real Beauty” is that the beauty that represents from all women
in this world. The purpose of the “Dove Campaign for Real Beauty” is that this is a campaign for
changing the beauty stereotype of fashion models to the real women with a wider range of skin
types and body shapes. The message behind these campaign advertisements is that Dove cares
about the real women beauty by creating thought-provoking ads, confidence-building programs
and messages that embrace all definitions of beauty. The implication of this campaign
advertisement for Dove itself is that Dove might have special place in their customers‟ part of
life because they think that Dove cares about them.

3. 1. INTRODUCTION
Language is an essential part in human being‟s life. Through language either spoken or
written people can communicate with others. Crystal (1992) defined language as the systematic,
conventional use of sounds, signs or written symbols in a human society for communication and
self-expression. Language has a great impact towards people and their behavior. This is mainly
true in the fields of marketing and advertising. In advertising, language as a tool of
communication is used to deliver specific messages with the intention of influencing,
convincing, and informing people. These specific messages mostly aim to persuade people to
buy certain products or services. Language in advertising is very important because it helps
people to identify the product and remember it.
The language of advertising, according to Crystal (1987), is generally laudatory, positive,
unreserved, and emphasizing the uniqueness of a product. Typically, it emphasizes why one
product stands out in comparison with another. Advertising which is defined as “any paid form
of non-personal communication through the mass media about the product by an identified
sponsor” (Wells, Burnett & Moriaty: 2003) has become part of our everyday life. The function of
advertising can be viewed into basic ways: as a tool of marketing and as a means of
communication (Wright, Winter & Zeigler: 1982) thus, advertisements which are the products of
advertising are delivered to different kind of societies in order to convey these two basic ways of
function.
There are three general forms of advertising which close to human‟s life either in the
form that simply use sound (radio advertising), vision (printed advertising), or both sound and
vision (television advertising). Printed or electronic (radio and television advertising)
advertisement is one of media in communication which grows as the developing of technology.
According to Susanto in Mulyawan, at first, people advertise their products by shouting or
producing sounds to gain consumers‟ attention. This kind of advertisement is called direct
advertisement in which the sellers advertise using spoken language that simple and advertise
their product directly to the target market.

4. In nowadays, advertisement is presented in various kinds of media such as printed media
and electronic media with interesting, creative, attractive, as well as persuasive appearance. As a
media of communication, every advertisement has message to be delivered to the customers.
Leech (1996) stated that in general, every advertisement has five structures; headline,
illustration(s), body copy, signature line, and standing details. Advertisements have a lot of signs
or illustrations which have meaning behind it. Advertisements use a sign system which is
comprised with verbal or non-verbal signs. In advertisements, language is the verbal signs, while
illustration, color, etc is the non-verbal signs
Discourse of advertisements has shown the development of an extraordinary language
phenomenon. A copywriter is able to exploit the language to be used as the media of
communicative ads, which is very interesting and persuading. This exploitation of language,
especially the mixture of verbal and non-verbal signs, makes discourse of advertisements an
interesting subject to explore and analyze.
Dove, one of toiletries products of Unilever Company, is now trying to advertise their
beauty campaign named “Campaign for Real Beauty”. Emphasizing on celebrating women
beauty, Dove presents many advertisements to gain people‟s attention on its campaign. This
study is aimed at analyzing the meaning, the purpose, and the message, behind the advertisement
of Dove Beauty Campaign by looking its advertisement structure and the language of
advertisement. This study also analyzes the implication of the beauty campaign for Dove itself.
To study the exploitation of the language in the discourse of advertisement, the verbal sign and
non verbal sign are analyzed to find the language used and the meaning, purpose, message, and
the implication behind the advertisement. Using Van Dijk and Kelly-Holmes theories of
structure of advertisement as well as the language of advertisement, three kinds of
advertisements are analyzed.
2. METHODOLOGY
In order to know the meaning, the purpose, the message, and the implication behind the
advertisement of Dove Beauty Campaign, the structure and the language of advertisement as
well as the verbal sign and non-verbal sign of the advertisements are analyzed. This study also
analyzes the implication of the beauty campaign for Dove itself. Using Van Dijk and Kelly-

5. Holmes theories of structure of advertisement as well as the language of advertisement, three
kinds of advertisements are analyzed.
Three kinds of Dove Beauty Campaign advertisements were picked from the website of
Dove. Then those three advertisements were analyzed from the structure of discourse analysis
proposed by Van Dijk (in Eriyanto: 2001; Sobur: 2001): macro structure, superstructure, and
micro structure) and the language of advertisement as well as the verbal sign that lies in the
headline, body copy, signature line, and the standing detail and the non-verbal sign that lies in
the illustration.
3. LITERATURE REVIEW
1. Advertisement
Advertising has become a promising business nowadays. It appears everywhere in
various forms: printed, radio, or television advertising. Wells, Burnett & Moriaty (2003) defined
that advertising is a paid non-personal communication from an identified sponsor using mass
media to persuade or influence an audience. Advertising is a powerful communication force vital
and a marketing tool. The function of Advertising can be viewed in two basic ways: as a tool of
marketing and as a means of communication (Wright, Winter & Zeigler: 1982). It means that the
role of advertising is not only to communicate the message to the reader (communication) but
also to sell the product (marketing tool).
Advertising is a form mass communication that informs, persuades, or influences people
to buy goods or services. In marketing field, the role of advertising is to carry persuasive
messages to actual and potential customers. Thus it is important to know the target market of an
advertisement in order to know the marketing techniques to sell the products.
A successful advertisement, according to Vestergaard & Shrodder (1985) is expected to
accomplish five functions: (1) attracting attention; (2) commanding interest; (3) creating desire;
(4) inspiring conviction; and (5) provoking action. All these five functions are related each other
and serve to promote the selling power of the advertised product.

6. 2. Structure of an advertisement
2.1. Headlines
Headline is the most important of an advertisement. It is the very first thing read and
should arouse the interest of customer. Headline usually appears in the top of an
advertisement and printed in the bold types of different sizes.
2.2. Illustrations
These can be photographs or drawings and should show the product in use (if
possible) and with the brand name. illustration also can strengthen the concept of the
advertisement.
2.3. Body copy
Body copy is the text of the advertisement. It includes the main part of the advertising
message. It is usually smaller sized type and written paragraph or multiple lines. Its
purpose is to explain the idea or selling point. Body copy is a logical continuation of
the headline.
2.4. Signature line
This is the brand message conveyed by trademarks, logos, slogans, brand names, or
packages.
2.5. Standing details
A standing detail in a print ad might include cut-out coupons and purely practical
information appearing in small print. For example contact information of a firm,
instructions where further information can be acquired or legal footnotes. This type of
information generally appears in an identical form in different advertisements of the
same product (Leech 1966: 59).
3. Advertisement as a text and a discourse
An advertisement can be said as a text when it is seen as a product of advertisement
maker. An advertisement is a creation of a product that is bounded of semiotic structure and the
social function as a media of communication and marketing. Meanwhile an advertisement can be
said as a discourse when it is seen as a media of communication and marketing of a product or
service. At this time an advertisement is not only seen as a unification of semiotic but it is also

7. seen as a media of communication that involves contextual aspect besides the element of textual
component.
Advertising can be seen as an interaction between pictures, language or text,
paralanguage and so forth. These components are considered to form the discourse of
advertising. More specifically, the elements that are considered to be a part of the advertising
discourse are subordinate concepts of text and context. The text in advertising discourse refers to
linguistic forms and is separated from context for the purposes of analysis (Cook 2001: 4).
Context on the other hand, includes components such as substance, paralanguage, co-text,
participants, and the functions of advertisements.
4. Language of advertisement
Advertising language has been described as a „functional dialect‟, which refers to the
result of the process where language is chosen to be used for a particular purpose, and
consequently the product becomes a variety of its own (Kelly-Holmes 2005: 8). Moreover, the
language used in advertisements is described to be colloquial and simple rather than formal and
complex. This implies that advertising vocabulary is fairly concrete and comprehensible. (Leech
1966). Further, standard advertising English is a concept which can be defined as a loaded
language, i.e. it aims to change the will, opinions, or attitudes of its audience.
The choices concerning language in market-driven discourses, such as advertising, are
rarely made without careful consideration, as Kelly-Holmes (2005: 8) claims. Consequently,
language can have various functions in advertising, for instance informational, expressive and
vocative ones. The informational function of a language refers to its aim to inform or to report, to
describe and to emphasize in an advertisement. Moreover, feelings or emotions can be expressed
through language and thus it can have an expressive function. (Kelly-Holmes 2005: 8). Advising,
recommending and persuading are considered to act as language‟s directive or vocative function.
In advertising discourse, the informative and the directive functions, that is informing and
advising, might be considered the most common purposes of language (Kelly-Holmes 2005: 8).
5. Van Dijk’s structure of discourse
Van Dijk (in Eriyanto: 2001; Sobur: 2001) proposed a framework of discourse analysis
which have three structures: macro structure, superstructure, and micro structure

8. 5.1. Macro structure
The macrostructure of a discourse is the structure of its global meaning, topic or
theme. Macrostructures are derived or inferred from the local meanings (the
propositions, or semantic microstructure) of discourse by a number of rules or
strategies that reduce complex information. The topic of the text is not seen explicitly
in a text but it is bound in the overall text as a unity in a form or coherence.
Therefore, the topic of the text can be identified by reading the whole text as a social
discourse that can be drawn one main idea or topic which developed the text.
5.2. Superstructure
Superstructure is a basic outline of a text which includes the composition or series of
structure or elements of a text in forming a coherent unity of form. In other words,
the analysis of superstructures is an analysis of the scheme or the plot of the text. Just
like in a building, the superstructure of a text is the organizational pattern or outline
that the author used in writing the text, and this textual structure has been dictated by
the nature and structure of the author's thinking. In an advertisement, the
superstructure is; headline, illustration(s), body copy, signature line (logo), and
standing details.
5.3. Microstructure
Microstructure is an analysis of a text based on the intrinsic elements. The intrinsic
elements are:
a. Semantic
The semantic in this case is categorized as a local meaning which comes from
words, clauses, sentences, and paragraph as well as their relationship such as the
relationship between words, between clauses, between sentences, and between
paragraphs that develops meaning in one text.
b. Syntactic
Syntactic structure is an arrangement of words in sentences, clauses, and phrases,
and the study of the formation of sentences and the relationship of their
component parts. Eriyanto (2001) said that:

9. “Unsur sintaksis merupakan salah satu elemen yang membantu pembuat teks untuk
memanipulasi keadaan dengan jalan penekanan secara tematik pada tatanan kalimat.
Manipulasi tersebut dapat berupa pemilihan penggunaan kata, kata ganti, preposisi, dan
konjungsi, serta pemilihan bentuk-bentuk kalimat seperti kalimat pasif atau aktif”
c. Stylistic
Features of stylistics include the use of dialogue, including regional accents and
people‟s dialects, descriptive language, the use of grammar, such as the active
voice or passive voice, the distribution of sentence lengths, the use of particular
language registers, etc. In addition, stylistics is a distinctive term that may be used
to determine the connections between the form and effects within a particular
variety of language. Therefore, stylistics looks at what is „going on‟ within the
language; what the linguistic associations are that the style of language reveals.
d. Rhetoric
Rhetorical emphasizes the style in a text that is closely related to how a text
message to be delivered, which includes hyperbole style, repetition, alliteration or
other style.
4. DATA ANALYSIS AND FINDINGS
This commercial made by Dove‟s Real Beauty Campaign, addresses the ever prevalent
issue of body image for young women. Here is the analysis:
1. Dove Beauty for Real campaign advertisement 1
a. Headline
The headline in this advertisement is “All this talk about fashion models and extreme
dieting”

10. In this headline, the ads maker tries to increase customers and readers sight. This
headline also uses propaganda that can be seen from the choice of words “All this
talk”. From this choice of words, the writer infers that the ads maker uses bandwagon
technique by generalizing on what people think to persuade the target audience to join
in an issue. It gives the information that nowadays all people talking is about fashion
models and people who is on extreme diet.
b. Illustration
Three blue doves are the illustration of this advertisement. The doves represent the
brand of Dove itself.
c. Body copy
The body copy of this advertisement is “How did our idea of beauty become so
distorted?” in this body copy the ads maker chose the same style with the headline.
The ads maker generalized what people think by using word “our”. This body copy
gives more information about the advertisement that is people‟s ideas about beauty is
now distorted by the perfection of body image that is portrayed in the fashion models.
Conclusion:
Form the language of the advertisement, the ads maker uses bandwagon technique to
persuade the customers or readers to believe in the issue arose by Dove. From this
advertisement, the proposition that can be inferred is that Dove concerns with the
distortion of body image in which people idolize fashion models as their perfect body
image, therefore many people go on extreme diet. The purpose of this advertisement
is to awaken people mind that beauty is not about fashion models. The message
behind this advertisement is that Dove wants to change people‟s ideas about perfect
body image.
2. Dove Beauty for Real campaign advertisement 2

11. a. Headline
The headline is “We see beauty all around us”. This headline also uses generalization
idea from the choice of deictic register of “We” and “Us”. Yet, this choice of words
gives meaning that ads maker wants to make the customers or readers as a unity.
b. Illustration
Three women from different sizes, shapes, colors, and ethnics are smiling with
confidence makes the headline‟s intention become clear. It gives meaning that the
beauty all around us is like those there women represented in the illustration. In this
illustration, the ads maker uses Transfer and Plain Folks technique of propaganda.
Transfer means trying to improve the images of the products or in this case, is the
campaign by showing symbols or illustration. Plain Folks means using people from
plain folks instead of people who have power or higher than others. In this campaign,
the ads maker uses an image of average-looking women. From the illustration above,
it can be inferred that Dove is trying to persuade customers or readers to join in a new
image of beauty that is women from different types of skin and body shapes.
c. Body copy
“At Dove, we want to free ourselves and the next generation from beauty stereotypes.
It’s this message that’s at the heart of our Campaign for Real Beauty and Self Esteem
Fund, and it’s why we continue to create thought-provoking ads, confidence-building
programs and messages that embrace all definitions of beauty” is the body copy of
the 2nd advertisement. In this body copy, the ads maker didn‟t use generalization
because of the choice of words “At Dove” this indicates the next subject of “We” is
Dove people. In the first sentence, the ads maker opens its body copy by stating the
purpose of the advertisement that is giving people and the next generation freedom
from the beauty stereotypes. This also indicates that dove wants to make changes not
only for now but on the future for beauty stereotypes by choosing the words “next
generation”. In the second sentence, the ads maker tries to convince the customer or
readers of Dove‟s aim. By choosing the words “at the heart of our campaign”
indicates that Doves want wholeheartedly making their promises. In this 2nd sentence
the ads maker also gives evidence on how they will make their promises; by creating
thought-provoking ads, confidence-building programs and messages that embrace all
definitions of beauty.
Conclusion:
From this advertisement, Dove gives clear ideas about their purpose of campaign and
how they do their campaign. Changing the beauty stereotypes by showing three
happy women from a wider range of skin types and body shapes is the purpose of this
advertisement. Dove appreciates the beauty of real women, and wants to build women
confidence on what they are is the message of this advertisement.

12. 3. Dove Beauty for Real campaign advertisement 3
a. Headline
“Rethink Beauty” is the headline of this advertisement. The ads maker uses two
words simple headline. The ads maker also wants the customers or readers to do
certain action that is rethink about beauty. This headline might be vague for the
consumers or readers, yet if they have seen the previous advertisement they
become clear what kind of beauty that they are asked to rethink about, that is the
stereotype of fashion models beauty.
b. Illustration
A mother hugging and kissing her smiling daughter and a smiling teenager girl is
the illustration of this advertisement.
c. Body copy
The illustration above depicts the body copy:
“Believe in your own unique beauty and guide your daughter to believe in hers”.
This body copy gives meaning that we should be proud of our unique beauty and
also this body copy gives message to the mothers that they should take care of
their daughter to be always confidence of what they look like.
Conclusion:
From this advertisement, Dove wants to give the realization on their previous
campaign (see 2nd advertisement) that is “create thought-provoking ads,
confidence-building programs and messages that embrace all definitions of
beauty”. This advertisement is aimed at creating thought-provoking ads by
choosing the headline “Rethink Beauty”, confidence-building programs by saying
“believe in your own unique beauty”, and creating messages that embrace all
definitions of beauty by “guide your daughters to believe in hers”. The message
behind this advertisement is that Dove cares about the beauty image of fashion
models that might impact the young generation. Therefore Doves reminds the
mothers to guide their daughters to be confidence on their unique beauty.

13. 5. CONCLUSION
Dove beauty for real campaign is aimed at provoking people to change the beauty
stereotype of fashion models to the real women beauty with a wider range of skin types and body
shapes. Three kinds of this campaign advertisement have been analyzed. Based on the three
advertisements of “Dove Beauty for Real Campaign” analyzed above, it is found that the ads
maker use three kinds of structure of an advertisement that are: (1) headline; (2) illustration; and
(3) body copy. The language use in those advertisements are kind of propaganda in which Dove
ads maker wants to influence the customers or the readers‟ attitude towards an issue of changing
the image of beauty stereotype. It is also found that the headlines, the illustrations, and the body
copies are connected each other. The illustrations are appropriate for the messages of the
campaign.
Finally from the analysis above the writer can infer the meaning, the purpose, and the
message, behind the advertisement of Dove Beauty Campaign as well as the implication of the
beauty campaign for Dove itself. The meaning of “Real Beauty” is that the beauty that represents
from all women in this world that can be depicted from the advertisement illustrations. The
purpose of the “Dove Campaign for Real Beauty” is that this is a campaign for changing the
beauty stereotype of fashion models to the real women with a wider range of skin types and body
shapes by presenting several images of beautiful women who have slim body, medium body, fat,
white skin, and dark skin. The purpose of this campaign is to realize women in this world that
beauty is all around us, beauty is appreciate on your uniqueness, beauty if for all of us no matter
what size and shapes you are. The message behind these campaign advertisements is that Dove
cares about the real women beauty by creating thought-provoking ads, confidence-building
programs and messages that embrace all definitions of beauty. The implication of this campaign
advertisement for Dove itself is that Dove might have special place in their customers‟ part of
life because they think that Dove cares about them.

14. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Crystal, D. (1992). An Enclyclopedic: Dictionary of Language and Languages. England:
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Crystal, D. (1987). The Cambridge Encyclopedia of Language. Cambridge: Cambridge
University Press.
Kelly-Holmes, H. (2005). Advertising as Multilingual Communication. Hampshire and New
York: PALGRAVE MACMILLAN.
Leech, G. (1966). English in Advertising. London: Longman.
Vestegaard, T. &. (1985). The Language of Advertising. Oxford: Basil Blackwell Publisher Ltd. .
Wells, W. B. (2003). Advertising Principles & Practice. New Jersey: Pearson Education
International.
Wright, W. &. (1982). Advertising, (5th ed). USA: Graw- Hill Company.