Unilever plans to stop using the word “normal” on packaging for its beauty products, with the goal of making its brand more inclusive.
The London-based owner of brands such as Dove, Ax and Vaseline announced the decision on Tuesday after conducting a survey showing that describing hair or skin as “normal” makes consumers feel excluded.
Unilever also said it will stop digitally altering skin color, body shape and the size of models appearing in its ads, while increasing the number of ads with people from “underrepresented” groups.
“We are committed to addressing harmful norms and stereotypes and shaping a broader and much more inclusive definition of beauty,” Sunny Jain, president of beauty and personal care at Unilever, said in a statement. “We know that removing the ‘normal’ product from our products and packaging will not solve the problem alone, but it is an important step forward.”
Unilever said it conducted a survey of 10,000 people in nine countries, in which seven out of ten respondents said using the word “normal” on product packaging and ads “has a negative impact.” “, a rate that increased to eight out of ten between 18 and 35-year-olds.
Unilever made the switch after overcoming several controversies over how its brand ads portrayed people of color.
Violent protests erupted in South Africa last September after a TRESemmé brand ad for hair care labeled images of black women’s hair as “curly and dull” while describing white women’s hair as “fine and plains “and” normal. “
This came after Unilever’s Indian business said it would change the name of its clarifying cream from “Fair & Lovely” to “Glow & Lovely” amid concern that the former brand would perpetuate stereotypes against the tones of darker skin.
Dove also started fire in 2017 for an ad that appeared to show a black woman throwing a T-shirt over her head to reveal a white woman underneath.
Unilever is one of the largest advertisers in the world and its beauty products are a backbone of its business. The beauty and personal care segment accounted for about $ 25 billion of the approximately $ 60 billion in revenue Unilever posted last year.
Unilever shares rose about 1.1 percent in premarket trading on Tuesday to $ 54.55 as of 8:20 p.m.
With mail cables