Dove India launches #ChangeTheCompliment to shift praise from looks to confidence

“You’re so pretty” and “you’re so beautiful” are often among the first compliments girls hear and the ones they hear most. But when praise centres only on appearance, it quietly teaches girls that how they look matters more than who they are.

With its latest campaign, #ChangeTheCompliment, Dove is encouraging a simple but powerful shift in everyday language, one that celebrates girls not just for how they look, but for who they are and what they can do. By focusing on character, capabilities and achievements, the campaign highlights how reframing compliments can play a meaningful role in building confidence.

In India, that shift can’t come soon enough. The Dove 2024 State of Beauty Report shows that women in India are among the most willing globally to give up a year of their life to achieve their ideal appearance (1) – a stark sign of how deeply appearance pressure takes hold and follows girls into adulthood. That pressure shows up early. 61% of girls say they feel judged based on how they look (2), shaping how confidently they speak up, participate and show up at school, at home and with peers. What may seem like casual comments can add up, affecting not just self-image but everyday confidence and overall wellbeing.

And this moment matters. Girls today are winning medals, topping classrooms and owning creative spaces, but the language around them hasn’t quite caught up. Dove’s research (3) shows that when appearance pressure is dialled down and self-worth is built beyond looks, girls show up with greater confidence, participation and belief in themselves. Dove’s call to praise girls as “beautiful and bold” is a small shift with outsized impact – one that helps reshape what the next generation learns to value.

“Dove’s global research shows that low self-esteem begins far earlier than most of us realise-even among young girls in India. When a child feels held back at school or in daily life because of how she thinks she looks, it’s clear this isn’t superficial; it directly impacts her ability to thrive. Through #ChangeTheCompliment, Dove is urging parents, caregivers and educators to rethink the messages we give girls. By celebrating their strengths and capabilities-not just their appearance-we can help build lasting confidence and open a world of possibility. Dove’s mission is simple: to ensure every girl grows up knowing her worth runs far deeper than how she looks,” said Vipul Mathur, Executive Director Personal Care, Hindustan Unilever Limited.

The campaign is brought to life through a digital film that captures everyday moments where a small change in words can make a big difference, turning routine compliments into confidence-building ones.

With #ChangeTheCompliment, Dove continues to push for a more inclusive, empowering definition of beauty, one where girls are seen, celebrated and encouraged in all their dimensions.