Dove- Campaign or Cost for "Real Beauty"?

Dove, the women's cosmetic brand have been campaigning for "real beauty" for some time now.

They have various images, of "real" women with curves, spots, freckles, hips, breast, big bums, small bums and every other little paranoia us women face or should I say put upon ourselves.
Their advertising campaigns which feature "real women" and their insecurities aims to target those young and older who struggle with beauty complexes.

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=RADYaTvTGts


Some may argue that this is a very clever strategy, in order for us the consumer whom many of us are very much "real" women will buy the Dove product in order to feel that by purchasing the product we feel better about ourselves.
However, I find this highly patronising, as in the current consumer market we live in today, the operative word is "consumer", according to the Oxford dictionary is "• noun a person who buys a product or service for personal use." Displays clearly how its strategies that the media market uses for us to purchase their products rather than actual belief, that by using Doves fake tan, we will feel better and achieve a step towards feeling "real" and "beautiful" about ourselves, as opposed to using Fake Bakes fake tan.

Hang on, there seems to be a loop hole, if Doves campaign is for "real beauty", why on earth are they encouraging gradual tanners? Surely its about being comfortable in ones own skin that's the important message, not buying into the idea Dove sells about real beauty. Surly if it's about real beauty they shouldn't be selling products at all and should just be campaigning for not using products. OK that's a bit extreme, but not manufacturing anti aging creams, and gradual tanners, but just regular soaps? That's the question on my mind.

They have various quiz's young girls form the ages of 11-14 can take about self esteem on the Dove website, but aren't young women fighting the media images and ideals day in day out anyways. Don't get me wrong this is not a criticism of what Dove are doing as its truly brilliant that they encourage young women to feel good about themselves, but what my question is why does it have to physically cost us to feel good, or gain great self esteem? Why can't beauty come within, and without a price tag? My answer is because money has to be made from brands, and although what Dove is doing works, it shouldn't have to cost.