For Dove, “cute” and “pretty” no longer cut it in terms of paying a girl a compliment with any real substance.

The personal care brand says compliments should be more personal and go beyond skin deep. So much, that officials believe girls should be celebrated for their qualities and attributes over their physique. For the brand, “kind and clever” and “strong and creative” are preferred compliments over a girl’s looks, which shouldn’t define her inherent worth. And Dove, known for championing self-esteem, is heralding this philosophy on high.

Ahead of International Day of the Girl on Oct. 11, the brand is launching a new movement, #ChangeTheCompliment. The global call is aimed at changing the conversation on how girls are praised. By shifting attention from a girl’s appearance to her character, capabilities and achievements, more reasons are created for her to feel confident in her own skin.

“We know that low confidence in appearance can take root as early as childhood and have a lasting impact on body image, friendships and even performance at school,” said Divya Singh, head of Unilever Personal Care, Canada. “That’s why The Dove Self-Esteem Project is focused on helping young people see themselves for who they truly are and embrace their personalities and accomplishments—not just their reflection.”

The Real State of Beauty

Dove’s 2024 “The Real State of Beauty: A Global Report” found that over 60% of girls report feeling pressure to be beautiful, and by adolescence, 50% of girls admit disliking something about their appearance. Dove’s reminder to parents and caregivers to call girls “beautiful and strong” is a small step with mountain-moving potential.

To guide the conversation in Canada, Dove is partnering with Dr. Vanessa Lapointe, a career psychologist, author, educator and founder of The North Star Clinic in BC. Dr. Lapointe boasts deep expertise in child development and family-centered care, bringing a powerful perspective to how words can shape self-esteem.

“We all love to hear nice things about how we look – but for young girls, only receiving praise about their appearance may unintentionally harm their self-image,” said Dr. Lapointe. “When we remind girls that they are more than how they look, like celebrating what their bodies can do, or calling out their bravery, curiosity and kindness, we help girls build confidence that lasts. #ChangeTheCompliment is about reminding girls that while they are pretty, they are also brave, smart and strong!”

Uplifting the Next Generation of Girls

Canadian creators, educators and parents are also joining the movement by sharing their own #ChangeTheCompliment moments on social media—from writing affirmations on mirrors and dropping thoughtful notes in lunchboxes to collecting compliments in a jar. These small actions are already having a ripple effect across Canadian classrooms, communities and homes.

The Dove Self-Esteem Project, the world’s largest provider of body confidence education, has reached 137 million young people across 153 countries with free, evidence-based resources co-created with body image experts. To support these important conversations and uplift the next generation of young girls, resources include Confident Me, a classroom workshop to help build student’s body confidence, and Amazing Me, a set of self-esteem building lessons for teaching self-esteem in the classroom.

With #ChangeTheCompliment, we’re asking everyone to make a small change in language that can have a big impact on how girls see themselves,” said Singh.