By Flavia Ventura

Lessons from Daryl Fielding

Today we were gifted with an incredible masterclass from Daryl Fielding. She shared with us the thinking behind the Dove Real Beauty campaign.

To say it was inspiring it is to say the least. We all felt very honoured and humbled.

If there is one point that Daryl made very clearly is that even the best campaigns come through mess. 

When reflecting upon it now, years later its debut, the Dove strategy seems obvious – of course women should feel beautiful in all forms, shapes and so on. It’s strange, in fact, to think that the strategy of what’s considered one of the best, most successful, most risky and most known campaigns of our era didn’t fall on its creators’ heads. All the pieces of the puzzle fit so well, it almost feels as if the work effortlessly created itself.

 It was quite reassuring to learn that wasn’t the case.

Great work, the type of work that scares you, excites you and inspires you, comes to those that fight for it. It isn’t easy, it isn’t uncomplicated, it isn’t effortless; the contrary. If it doesn’t take all your brain, if there isn’t a ‘pain barrier’ to overcome, chances are the idea just isn’t that great.

What struck me the most from Daryl’s masterclass, was her honesty. When asked when she realised the campaign would’ve obtained great results, she simply said ‘when we actually got the results.’

My main take from the talk is that the best ideas are the ones that could go terribly wrong, the ones that scare you to the point you almost want to drop them.

Only by taking risks you’re able to change the world.