Glow & Lovely: A Report on Marketing Strategies and Social Impact

This report provides an overview of the marketing strategies employed by Glow & Lovely (formerly Fair & Lovely), a skin-lightening cosmetic product by Hindustan Unilever. It examines the brand's history, its presence in various markets, and the criticisms it has faced, particularly regarding colorism and the promotion of lighter skin tones. The report delves into the impact of these criticisms, including the Black Lives Matter movement, and the company's response, such as renaming the brand. It also references relevant studies and articles. The report discusses the evolution of the brand, its adaptation to changing societal views on beauty standards, and its efforts to address concerns about its marketing practices. Overall, the report offers a comprehensive analysis of Glow & Lovely's marketing efforts and the associated social and ethical considerations.

GLOW AND
FAIR

TABLE OF CONTENT
• Introduction of the company
• Criticism

INTRODUCTION OF THE
COMPANY• Glow & Lovely (formerly Fair & Lovely (still used
in South East Asian countries) is Hindustan Unil
ever's Indian skinlightening cosmetic product th
at was introduced to the Indian market in 1975
• In India, Bangladesh, Malaysia, Indonesia,
Singapore, Brunei, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Pakistan a
nd other parts of Asia, Glow & Lovely is available
• It is also exported to other parts of the world,
such as the West, where it is sold at Asian
supermarkets.

CRITICISM ON THIS
COMPANY
• Brand promotional campaigns have been blamed for encouraging colorism.
• In both regions, advertisement for the commodity means that whiter skin
equates appearance with self-confidence.

CONT..
• Study by Hindustan Unilever Limited reports that "90 per cent of Indian wo
men want to use whiteners because it is aspirational, like losing weight. A fa
ir skin is like education, regarded as social and economic step up." Followin
g this uproar, including a 2007 Ponds White Beauty television commercial in
which actor Saif Ali Khan showed preference for the fair-
skinned Neha Dhupia.

CONT..
Having launched in 1975, Fair & Lovely is
both
the leader and pioneer
of fairness creams in India and has borne
the brunt of the category controversy. Cel
ebrities, academics, and the Indian Adver
tisement Standards Council (ASCI) have c
onsistently emphasized the need for fairn
ess products advertisers to adjust and ad
apt to the evolving concept of attractiven
ess, which is about embracing individuals
as they are.

CONT..
• Black Lives Matter, Fair & Lovely of Hindustan Unilever Limited faced a lot of critici
sm on social media for developing artificial beauty stereotypes and stereotyping sk
in tones in India after demonstrations against racial inequality took over in the US.
• It confirmed that it would remove the term 'Equal' from its name and
restrict from all its packs and communications the use of racist 'White/Whitening
Light/Lightening.'
• It soon renamed the brand as a reactive indicator of an insurrection to 'Glow & Lov
ely'
• A few experts were satisfied with this move, while others wanted
HUL to absolutely drop the commodity that reflects colourism in India.

REFERENCES
• Agorku ES, Kwaansa-Ansah EE, Voegborlo RB, Amegbletor P, Opoku
F. Mercury and hydroquinone content of skin toning creams and cosmetic
soaps, and the potential risks to the health of Ghanaian
women. Springerplus (2016) 5(1):319.10.1186/s40064-016-1967-1
• Jang H, Koo FK, Ke L, Clemson L, Cant R, Fraser DR, et al. Culture and sun
exposure in immigrant East Asian women living in Australia. Women
Health (2013) 53(5):504–18.10.1080/03630242.2013.806386
• Neumark-Sztainer D, Paxton SJ, Hannan PJ, Haines J, Story M. Does body
satisfaction matter? Five-year longitudinal associations between body
satisfaction and health behaviors in adolescent females and males. J
Adolesc Health (2006)