• USA Today, Friday, February 23, 2007 11:45 AM

Dove will air the winner of its online contest for women to create a 30-second ad on Sunday's Oscar broadcast.

Dove, a unit of Unilever, provided tools, such as product shots at DoveCreamOil.com, that were to be combined with consumer's video. About 1,000 ads--a selection of which are posted online--were entered by the Jan. 15 deadline. Dove then named three finalists.

Dove also bought 30 seconds ahead of the contest winner, so "Grey's Anatomy" star Sara Ramirez can introduce the ad and its creator.

Dove's Oscar ad is part of its TV, online and print "Campaign for Real Beauty" that began in the USA in 2004. "We thought the next step would be to let real women tell us what they want in their ad," says Dove marketing director Kathy O'Brien.

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