Who wants to be beautiful, anyway?

I don't think of myself as beautiful. And, do you know what? I don't really care. If anyone did call me beautiful, I'd probably find it rather slimy and creepy - in fact, there's something about the word that makes me want to gag. Perhaps it's something to do with James Blunt.

Much as I think that the long-running Dove campaign is admirable, on a number of levels, I'm not too sure about the latest - #ChooseBeautiful. When they started the campaign off, there was a joyfulness, a spontaneity and always a touch of the unexpected about it. But the last few years have seen a succession of formulaic ideas (a "social experiment", mournful music, rather sad women, manipulative pulling-at-the-heartstrings filming with mum-and-daughter, best friends, woman in a wheelchair...). And, interestingly, other advertisers such as Always are beginning to copy the format. Surely this is the time for Dove to make the next leap and move on? Challenge us again?

Maybe Dove should look behind the figures (ha, ha!). It may be true that 96% (or whatever) of women don't think of themselves as beautiful. But do they want to be beautiful?

There are many, many adjectives that I'd prefer to beautiful: attractive, individualistic, bright, eccentric, wise, wild...

And as for those doors, I don't think I'd go through either of them.