Exploring Cosmetic Advertising Portrayals and Consumer Behavior

This report investigates the portrayal of women in cosmetic advertising and its influence on consumer buying behavior. It explores the concept of advertising in the cosmetic industry, the need for such advertising, and how women are depicted in campaigns. The research employs inductive and interpretivisim approaches, collecting both primary and secondary data through qualitative and quantitative methods. The report examines the impact of cosmetic advertising on consumer buying behavior, including the psychological emotions experienced by consumers and the promises made by companies regarding product benefits. The findings highlight key themes and offer recommendations for future advertising strategies and related research designs. The study aims to determine how cosmetic advertising portrays women and its subsequent impact on consumer buying decisions, analyzing various sub-objectives such as advertising concepts, industry needs, and consumer behavior.

Business Management 2.
(Exploring How Cosmetic Advertising Portrays Women Today
And What Impact It Has On Consumer Buyer Behaviour)

Abstract
This research aimed to investigate how women are Presently portrayed in cosmetic advertising.
Another main aim of this paper is to examine impact of advertising on Consumer Buying
Behaviour. Different interpretation and literature review were identified related to the topic.
Along with this, possible methodological approaches to this study or topic were evaluated with
proper justification being provided to the final selected methods and approaches. The research
methods which were applied in this study is an inductive, interpretivisim, primary and secondary
data collection, qualitative and quantitative research, descriptive design etc. in order to look at
the behaviour of women concerning cosmetic advertisements. Main aim of this research is to
gain in-depth and comparable data on views surrounding this matter and so qualitative and
quantitative research methods were defined and explored. The findings from the study were
highlighted or included with generalisation as well as key themes identified. After a
comprehensive or board evaluation of the study as an entire, possible suggestions for future
advertisements and recommendation for related research design were put forward.

Table of Contents
Abstract ...........................................................................................................................................2
TITLE .............................................................................................................................................1
CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................1
CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW ........................................................................................5
Concept of advertising in cosmetic industry...............................................................................5
Basic need for advertising in cosmetic industry.........................................................................7
Women are portrayed in cosmetic advertising campaigns now-r-days......................................9
Impact of cosmetic advertising on consumer buying behaviour...............................................11
Research Gap............................................................................................................................13
Conceptual framework of advertising and consumer's purchasing behaviour .........................13
CHAPTER 3: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY ........................................................................15
CHAPTER 4: PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION OF DATA..............20
CHAPTER 5: Conclusion, Recommendation and Self Reflation .................................................39
REFERENCES .............................................................................................................................40

TITLE
Exploring How Cosmetic Advertising Portrays Women Today And What Impact It Has
On Consumer Buyer Behaviour.
CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION
Background of the research
Cosmetic advertising introduces as a part of promotion used by organisation to promote
their cosmetics and beauty products through different variety of media. In this, advertising
campaigns are mainly aimed at women wishing to enhance their appearance, mainly to maximise
physical attractiveness and decrease the sign of ageing (Sandlin and Maudlin, 2012). Therefore,
main aim of this research is to examine how women are presently portrayed in cosmetic
advertising. It determine the impact on women attitudes and as an output, the effects this has on
consumer buying behaviour. Effective advertisement of cosmetic product is highly impact on
consumer purchasing behaviour. In addition, cosmetic advertising introduces to the promotion of
the sale and marketing of products considered to restore as well as enhance an individual's
appearance. Apart from this, consumer buying behaviour introduces to the effective process by
which a person search for, choose, buy and use services and goods, for satisfaction of their
requirements and wants. This study primarily seeks to know the psychological emotions felt by
users regarding advertisements of cosmetic and in turn, how this impacts the product that they
purchase.
Overview of the research
Advertising plays an essential role in marketing of products and services offered by a
business. In order to formulate new ideas and selling campaigns, businesses in cosmetic
industries spends millions of money every year (Chan and Chrish, 2012). A lot of time is
invested in creating and developing prints and advertisements which is seen in magazines,
televisions and billboards etc. This is carried out to grab the attention of customers towards the
offerings of organisation. In this regard, cosmetic advertisements are done by athletics,
celebrities, politicians and other influential peoples. Buying behaviour of customers is highly
impacted with these strategies and tactics as the person which performs advertisements are
considered as role models by them. This research primarily aims to acknowledge the
psychological emotions of the customers about cosmetic advertisements.
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These cosmetic advertisements incorporates social acceptance, enhanced self esteem and
confidence among the minds of customers. This research will analyse the promises which are
done by businesses in cosmetic industries to their customers. These promises are related with
improvements in health or physical appearances of customers after using a particular product or
service. These cosmetic advertisements enhances self-esteem in women and makes them believe
that the flaws in their skin and body can be cured with the help of these body products. Buying
pattern of consumer is specified to the selecting, purchasing and consuming goods for satisfying
their desired needs. Consumer behaviour especially female consumers are highly influenced with
the cosmetic advertisements in order to became an idealised women. In today's time, cosmetic
advertisements portrays thin women with fair skin as ideal beauty. Media portrays these ladies as
goddess due to which consumers especially young girls and ladies feels very tempted toward
those products in order to become like them (Pudaruth and et. al., 2015). This study is going to
critically evaluate the impact of cosmetic advertisements on the buying behaviour of customers
along with the manner in which these advertisements portrays women as idealised beauty. This
research will also uncover the impacts of cosmetic promotions and advertisements on self esteem
and preference of young women and girls.
Aim of research
“To determine how Cosmetic Advertising Portrays Women Today and its impact on
Consumer Buying Behaviour. A study on cosmetic industry.”
Objectives of research
Research objective is essential and important part for dissertation which will help an
investigator to complete each activities of research in effective manner. Research objectives is
based on two variable which is dependent and independent (Kaur and et. al., 2013). Cosmetic
advertising portrays women is an independent variable and buying behaviour of consumer is
depend on them. The objective set, as an essential and main intention of the study is: To
determine how cosmetic advertising portrays women now-a-days and what impact it has on
consumer buying behaviour. In order to address the main concept or hypothesis, this study will
address the following sub-objectives.
 To analysis the concept of advertising in cosmetic industry.
 To examine the need for advertising in cosmetic industry.
 To identify how women are portrayed in cosmetic advertising campaigns now-a-days.
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 To analysis the impact of cosmetic advertising on consumer buying behaviour.
Research questions
 What are the concept of advertising in cosmetic industry?
 What are the basic need for advertising in cosmetic industry?
 How women are portrayed in cosmetic advertising campaigns now-a-days? What are the impacts of cosmetic advertising on consumer buying behaviour?
Rationale of research
Main reason behind selecting this topic or research is to identify how Cosmetic
Advertising Portrays Women Today and its impact on Consumer Buying Behaviour. It is a
biggest topic that help a researcher in personal and professional manner (Djafarova and
Rushworth, 2017). In personal way, researcher can easily improve their literature review skills,
data collection and analysis skills. All these are essential quality which will support an
investigator to gain better outcomes related to subject area of study. Research is essential for
researcher because with the help this they can easily identify accurate and in-depth information
about the topic. With the help of this, an investigator can easily understand basic concept of
advertising in cosmetic industry, need for advertisement and its impact on consumer buying
behaviour.
Conceptual framework: It is most essential and effective part which will help an
investigator to identify overview of entire chapter. This framework is mainly related with the
each activities of research which are determine as under:
Introduction: It is a first chapter which includes entire details about the project such as
background of the research, research aim, research objectives, research questions, rationale of
research etc. All these information are essential and useful for investigator to complete research
activities in systematic manner.
Literature Review: It is next chapter which help an investigator to identify conflict or
gaps in previous study. In addition, it is a type of scholarly paper and in which different authors
are give their opinion about the topic or study (Krishen and et. al., 2014).
Research methodology: It is identify as an essential part of research which is based on
different methods and approaches to collect accurate data about the study. Main purpose of this
chapter is to provide reliable and valid information about the field of study. In this section,
primary and secondary research, data collection, research reliability and validity, research
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instruments, sampling and many other methods will be included which will support a researcher
to gather proper information about the topic.
Data analysis and interpretation: It is another main chapter for completion of research
activities. In this part different number of questions will be prepared by researcher and interpret
all these questions in more effective manner (Giesler, 2012).
Conclusion and recommendations: It is a last chapter which is based on issues and ways
about how to overcome that issue in proper manner.
CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW
A literature review is defined as an explanation and summary about a topic with the help
of journals and books. It includes published information regarding a specific subject, area or a
topic within specific time frame. It can be a simple summary of a particular source which will
involves organisational pattern (Segal and Podoshen, 2013). In this case, literature review will
consists of both summary and synthesis. Summary is defined as a recap of important information
but a synthesis is stated as re-organisation or readjustment of a data or information. The main
objective of a literature review is to summarise and synthesizes the ideas, concepts and
arguments of other people without adding any new contributions. It will helps the researcher in
demonstrating the knowledge of subject area and justification the choice of research design.
Purpose of literature review
Main purpose of literature review is to justify the appropriate reason to carry out a
particular research. It is closely related with demonstrating the capabilities of an individual in a
particular field or subject. It helps in identifying and filling the gap which a person have
regarding a particular subject. Beside this, literature review will benefits the researcher in
establishing a methodological focus and theoretical framework (Shao and et. al., 2014). Even a
person is going to propose a new theory or method, the work that will be used must have been
justified and published before which ensures the accuracy of research. Also, literature review
benefits in acknowledging the relation of different sources with one another that have been
selected for carrying out this research.
Concept of advertising in cosmetic industry
According to Thompson, 2019, cosmetic industry is growing at a fast pace. In present
context, it is grossing more than 7 billion dollars every year as it is one of the main expenditure
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for most of the women. To change the opinion of women and other consumers towards
cosmetics, an organisation is operating in this sector with the help of advertisements. These
advertisements helps in altering the opinion, view and attitude of customers towards a product or
service along with motivating them to buy that product repeatedly. Sometimes, to attain this,
some advertisements carried out by cosmetic businesses emphasize on discouraging women
towards their appearance and skin shade. This help these cosmetic organisations in enhancing
their revenue and profits by enhanced sales. In order to enhance their market shares, tactics and
strategies used by cosmetic industry are appearance dissatisfaction, unrealistic beauty standards
and cosmetics information.
Concept of advertising in cosmetic industry is based on making a women unsatisfied with
her appearance and looks as after they watch advertisements. Due to which women feels that if
they will use these products, it will enhance their beauty. This work in the favour of cosmetic
industries as their sales and revenues enhances in a considerable manner. As per the opinion of
Rajput, 2019, there are different categories of cosmetics and these categories have different
market trends. Cosmetic advertisements are mainly based upon deodorants, sun and skin care
products, colour and make-up cosmetics, hair care products etc. skin category is considered as
one of the complex, diverse and technically advance category which is associated with
cosmetics. Before advertising about a particular product, company has to perform different kinds
of tests and procedure so that their effectiveness can be acknowledged. Only then, a company is
liable to promote and advertise a product.
According to Tilottama Chatterjee, 2018, other than acknowledging customers about
different benefits, advertisements related with cosmetic industry posses a negative impact on the
minds of consumers especially teenagers and child. In some case, children and other consumers
became stubborn about a particular product after watching its advertisement even though that
product is not required by them. This results in wastage of money. Beside this, some cosmetic
products are advertised by using false imaging and video in which results shown after using
products are unrealistic but consumers believes in those product and buy them in order to gain
same results. Due to this, expectation of customers decreases which leads to reduced sales. As
sales will decrease, purpose of advertising vanishes and company will face loss of revenues and
profitability.
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According to the Czinkota and Ronkainen, (2008) The concept of advertising can be
described in five phase including, sender, encoding, message, decoding and receiver. All these
are identify as an effective process via which information is formed and provided to the
customers. Advertising message not just an information; it is a collection of representation of
cosmetic product and the industry. Process of advertisement is starts from sender and close up to
receiver. All these process are determine as under in detail manner:
Sender: It is a first stage in which individual or an organisation who feels the requirement
to deliver the information and select the combination of pictures, symbols, words or music as a
data to be transmitted. Entire responsibility of the each stage of advertisement process is on the
shoulders of the communicator. It is up to the communicator how they design the information
and which data they are using for audience.
Encoding: It introduces as an effective design of the symbolic disposition which should
be perceivable by the receiver. It is a functional phase where transmitter of advertising content
sees the applicability of the codes towards the recipient of the specific advertising message.
Message: It is actually done from of encoding. It refers as an essential idea which is
competent of being communicated. When the complete information is write in code, it is now fit
to communicate to the customers. From here the information is distributed to the customer via
the prescribed or combination of media by different sources (Eze and et. al., 2012).
Decoding: It is the knowing of the delivered information. It introduces as an important
process to translate the information into an effective idea. Decoding is also crucial phase of
advertising that shoes how the message receiver perceives the delivered content. If it was
planned accurately as per the understanding and knowledge level of message receiver then the
comment or feedback can be favourable.
Basic need for advertising in cosmetic industry
According to Pahwa, 2018, Advertisement is defined as the action of gaining public
attention towards a concept, service or good with paid announcements from an identified
sponsors. It is a strategic element for an organisation for promotion mix of products. In general,
there are three kinds of advertisements i.e. above the line, below the line, through the line. In
above the line advertisements, those activities are included which are non targeted and posses a
wide reach such as radio, newspaper and TV advertisements. Below the line advertising include
those activities which are directed towards a particular group. These advertisements are carried
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out through billboards, in store advertising, sponsorships etc. As per Hamlett, 2019,
advertisement plays a critical role in cosmetics industry as it helps in increasing the sales and
market-shares of a particular business. Advertisements serves an essential purpose by allowing
sellers to compete with each other in order to gain competitive advantage.
Advertising helps cosmetics industry in promotion of services and products, comparison
with rivals and competitors, retention of existing customers and boosting morale of employees.
Advertising will benefits cosmetic industry in various ways as it will provide essential
information about product to the customers. Along with this, it will results in creating a
permanent demand of product in the minds of customers by telling its effectiveness and
advantages. An attractive advertisements also results in transforming prospective buyers into
loyal customers by denoting effectiveness of products in accordance with their demand and
preferences. As a company will advertise their product through social media, online platforms
and traditional methods such as TV, radio, newspaper etc. millions of people will get to know
about unique features of product in limited time. Due to this, need for middleman will reduce and
expenses for promoting product will be limited. Beside this, advertisements plays a vital role in
creating a positive image and goodwill of product within marketplace. If product will not have a
good reputation in market, consumer will not prefer to buy it due to which sales will get
impacted in a negative manner.
According to the view point of Wroblewski, 2019, advertisements have some negative
impacts on the cosmetic industry as well. This is because different companies advertise for their
products by spending high so that they can sustain a strong position in the minds of people. In
order to achieve it, different companies produce advertisements in which they superimpose their
products over products offered by other companies. Due to which a single company enjoys
monopoly and other companies in cosmetic industry have to face set back. Also, advertisements
are carried out in such a manner that they distorts reality formulate unrealistic expectations in the
mind of customers but when these expectations are not fulfilled then people shift their preference
towards other products due to which business operating in cosmetic industry have to bear loss of
revenues and profitability.
According to the opinion of Van Thompson, cosmetic are regarded as major expenditure for
women with cosmetic industry grossing 7 billion US$ every year. The retailer of cosmetic design
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advertising for altering attitude of women towards cosmetics for encouraging them to purchase
more products. The main reasons for advertising in cosmetic industry are described below:
Increasing Use of Cosmetic- Nowadays industry focus more on advertisement than other
media for creating awareness in the mind of consumers and market. The advertising regarding
cosmetic plays an effective role in mind of women. Advertisement is needed for cosmetic for
increasing their use by consumers. As women feel pressure for meeting idealised beauty standard
where cosmetic advertisement offer them and provide opportunity to live up standard which can
be high effective and encouraging more purchase of products. Thus, advertising industry playing
great role for increasing morale and beauty of women. The money spent on cosmetic advertising
leads to women's more purchase of cosmetic products.
Unrealistic Standard of Beauty- The cosmetic advertisements which are used frequently
retouched images for making models appearing more perfect. In 2011, UK advertising agency
ruled that make-up advertisement were retouched misleading advertising. Fixation on beauty
products can help in encouraging women for buying more cosmetic products. There are some
unrealistic advertisement which can greatly helps in influencing women for beauty products.
This advertising are done to increase sales and revenue of cosmetic industry (Stokburger-Sauer
and Teichmann, 2013). This unrealistic retouching of images can lead women to develop
unrealistic standard of beauty which models can live. Thus, it is the new way of encouraging and
influencing women for purchase of cosmetic products and helps in increasing sales, revenue and
growth of industry.
Appearance Dissatisfaction- According to YWCA, cosmetic advertisement can lead
women to feel themselves unsatisfied with their physical appearance. The study which was
published in Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology depict that women feel more
dissatisfaction with appearance after watching of advertisement. This provide advantage to
advertiser as it helps in selling products for making women look better. As cosmetic industry
make to feel insecure to women and offering wide variety of product as solution to insecurity.
This is the reason behind choosing model for cosmetic advertisement to attract large number of
women in increasing sales and revenues.
Cosmetic Information- The advertisement of cosmetics does not present information
regarding products except where scientific reasons has been proven for benefits of products.
However, advertising industry provide information to women which are related to available
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