When Dove launched its "Evolution" commercial in 2006, it went viral almost immediately. The spot showed a time-lapsed inside look at how an image goes from photograph to beauty ad—and all the digital manipulation in between. It was one of the first truly viral ads of the digital era, and a perfect extension of the brand's then-2-year-old "Campaign for Real Beauty." 

This week, the Unilever-owned brand marked the 20th anniversary of "Real Beauty" by making another, updated statement on digital manipulation. "The Code" highlights the negative impact of AI tools on the definition of beauty and the self-image of women and girls. Then it shows how generative AI interprets these same prompts when the brand adds "according to Dove Real Beauty Ad," revealing more realistic and diverse images. It ends with Dove pledging to never use AI to create or distort women's images. 

In a new global study, the brand found that 39% of women feel pressure to alter their appearance because of what they see online, even when they know it's fake or AI generated. As a result, Dove created Real Beauty Prompt Guidelines, a guide on how to create images that represent real beauty on the most popular generative AI programs. 

"It is Dove's mission to support more inclusive beauty representation by breaking down industry bias and broadening the definition of beauty so that everyone can have a positive experience with the way they look," Kathryn Fernandez, Dove's senior director of purpose and engagement, tells Fast Company. "To do this, we are constantly identifying potential new threats to real beauty and working to disarm them. With 90% of the content we see expected to be AI generated by 2025, we knew we needed a firm response."