Dove launches Pro-Age campaign with ladies over 50 and naked. Oh yes!

When is the last time you have seen women over 50, naked, and posing in an ad for a beauty product? Hmmm. I think never. In continuation with it's theme of real beauty, Dove has launched a new line of products called Pro-Age targeted to a demographic who are "too young to be old".

For this campaign, Dove chose some real women over 50 and had them pose in the buff for a commercial which has so much nudity, it cannot be shown on TV. Howevah, you can see the commercial on the web. Checkout the Pro-Age commercial here at the Dove Pro-Age website.

So, okay, why so much nakedness? Was it necessary to have the models show so much skin? Dove's answer:

"This campaign is about real honest beauty. The statement we clearly wanted to make is that it is time for women to stop hiding the signs of aging, and instead, be proud of how they look—even in their later years. We didn't want to cover these women or enhance their appearances because they are beautiful just as they are. We believe it was necessary to show skin, age spots, wrinkles and grey hair to show women are stunning at any age."

Woo-hoo! {insert jumping for joy} I can't tell you how much I appreciate the fact that Dove is just putting it all out there. No hiding. No manipulation. No spinning. Yup! It's all about the REAL. This new product line and camapaign is a result of Dove's global report "Beauty Comes of Age." For this report, Dove collaborated with world-renowned gerontologist and Pulitzer Prize-winning author Dr. Robert N. Butler, along with advisors Dr. Nancy Etcoff  of Harvard University, and Dr. Susie Orbach of the London School of Economics/ Sociology Department.

To sum up the findings of the "Beauty Comes of Age" report, women feel that "it is time for society to change its views about women and aging." Oh yeah!

In the FAQ section of the Pro-Age website, there is some illuminating information about aging, including information on how these products are made differently than ones made for younger women. The philosophy and targeted focus to women over 50 was simply fascinating. Check out the FAQ here. On the website, there is also a forum area where you can tawk amongst yourselves, and a casting call area where you can apply, if you're over 50, to possibly be a Pro-Age model.

Dove hits it out the ballpark again with this Pro-Age campaign. The nudity and message will most definitely make lots of people uncomfortable. It will make people re-examine their own prejudices about aging. It will make people feel liberated. It will make people talk. See some of the reactions. I also think that is is absolutely FANTASTIC that Dove launches this Pro-age campaign right when Fashion Week NYC concludes. Blah with the boring, dead-eyed, child-like, skinnies. I'll take these naked, bold, over 50 women any time of the day.