Glow & Lovely?
In the summer of 2020, as Black Lives Matter protests were waged across the United States, Unilever decided to make a statement by changing the name of a brand that was used on the other side of the world- Fair and Lovely would now be known as Glow and Lovely, a name which is not even grammatically correct. There is a lot to unpack here. The timing of the change seems as if Unilever is trying to make an antiracist statement in response to BLM in Western countries, although protests had been waged over Fair & Lovely’s colourist associations for years in India by groups such as Women of Worth (WOW). Many were disappointed by Unilever’s actions because the product itself did not change, and was clearly still seen as a skin lightening agent. However, demand for skin lightening agents in India remains strong, as the case highlights.
To what extent are brands responsible for the ethical implications of their products? It is obvious how big of an impact major brands can have on self-esteem, especially for girls and young women who feel a lot of pressure to appear attractive. Brands must reconcile this power with the associated responsibility. Profiting from the self esteem issues of a group of people is not meeting a market need - it is unethical. Many modern brands are trying to gain market share by emphasizing their superior ethics, and claim to want to enact positive social change. Dove, also owned by Unilever, has run a successful “Real Beauty” campaign highlighting various body types instead of only portraying size 0 models. Always ran a successful “Like a girl” campaign to try and change the negative stigma of the phrase. Such campaigns show it is possible for brands to use their influence for societal good rather than preying on societal flaws.
https://www.thecut.com/2020/09/blm-movement-prompted-a-reckoning-in-indias-beauty-industry.html