Unilever announced today the next step in the evolution of its skin care portfolio to a more inclusive vision of beauty. As part of this decision, the Fair & Lovely brand name will be changed in the next few months
An official press release by the company states that, The brand’s advertising has been changing since 2014, to a message of women empowerment. Fair & Lovely upholds principles that no association should be made between skin tone and a person’s achievement, potential or worth. We are aware that historic advertising is available on the internet; these ads are not aligned with the current values of the brand.
In 2019, we reflected this evolution on the Fair & Lovely pack in India, removing before-and-after impressions and shade guides that could indicate a transformation; and we have progressed all communication of product benefits towards glow, even tone, skin clarity and radiance.
Inclusive vision
As part of this journey to embrace and reflect a more inclusive vision of beauty, the next significant step is to update its brand name, which will be shared once several legal and regulatory requirements are met in each country where the brand is available. This registration process is already underway, and we expect to be able to unveil the new brand name within the next few months.
The key ingredients
Fair & Lovely has never been, and is not, a skin bleaching product. The brand uses a combination of vitamin B3, glycerine, UVA and UVB sunscreens. This was a much-needed move from harmful chemicals like mercury and bleach, which consumers were using. The brand has been progressively changing its formulation, and includes other vitamins like B6, C & E, allantoin, known to improve skin health and protect the skin from external aggressors, UV rays and environmental pollution. The product is designed to improve skin barrier function, improve skin firmness and smoothen skin texture – all of which help enhance radiance and glow, as currently represented in advertising and communication.
The evolution to a more inclusive vision of beauty that celebrates and cares for all skin tones, and no longer uses the words ‘white/whitening’, ‘light/lightening or ‘fair/fairness’, will be a policy for all Unilever’s Beauty & Personal Care brands.
Fair & Lovely Career Foundation
The Fair & Lovely Career Foundation was set up in 2003 to offer women scholarships to pursue their education. In 2017, it launched a mobile-friendly career and education platform, as a holistic solution. By the end of 2019, over one million people had registered to access skills and training through the platform, including 600,000 women, with 350,000 career tests already completed. As with the rebrand of Fair & Lovely, we will be also announcing Fair & Lovely Foundation’s new name later this year.
Source: unilever.com