COSMETIC
ADVERTISING
The misleading images that are
produced and represented in mass
media for our consumption
BY SASHA RAWANA
THE FASTEST GROWING INDUSTRIES
IN THE WORLD AND ITS RAPID
GROWTH IS MAINLY BECAUSE OF ITS
ADVERTISING.
A STUDY BY DOVE IN 2004 FOUND
THAT THE IMAGES IN COSMETIC
ADVERTISING WERE LOWERING
CONSUMER’S SELF-ESTEEM
Cosmetic industry in Canada in 2010 made 1.3 billion
dollars and a third of this revenue is spent on
advertising
Definition of cosmetics according to Oxford Dictionary:
“elating to treatment intended to restore or improve a
person’s appearance”
Definition of cosmetics according to Health Canada
and the Food and Drug Act:
“Includes any substance or mixture of substances
manufactured, sold or represented for use in cleansing,
improving or altering the complexion, skin, hair or teeth, and
includes deodorants and perfumes”
Definition of Advertising according to the Food and
Drug Act:
“ Includes any representation by any means whatever for the
purpose of promoting directly or indirectly the sale or disposal
of any food, drug, cosmetic or device.”


All cosmetics sold in Canada must meet the
requirements of the Food and Drugs
Act, Cosmetic Regulations and the Consumer
Packaging and Labelling Act and Regulations.
Claims on a label or in an ad for what a cosmetic can
do must be accurate so they do not mislead people.
Since certain claims, like increased attractiveness or
increased masculinity, can only be judged
subjectively, some puffery (exaggeration that does not
mislead the public) is tolerated.
However, be doubtful of any therapeutic claims (to
modify body functions, prevent or treat disease) on a
label that does not have a Drug Identification
Number (DIN) or Natural Product Number (NPN) on
it. Therapeutic claims are only allowed on drugs or
natural health products, not on cosmetic products.

Manufacturers may advertise cosmetic terms on labels on
their product packaging, or in their radio, television or
print ads. Some commonly used cosmetic terms in the
media:



Fragrance Free or Unscented
This means that no fragrances have been added to the cosmetic
product, or that a masking agent has been added to hide the scents
from the other ingredients in the cosmetic. Some products labelled
fragrance-free may actually contain "fragrance" or "parfum" on the
list of ingredients.
Hypoallergenic
"Hypoallergenic" is neither a legal nor a scientific term. It simply
means that the manufacturer has chosen ingredients to produce a
finished product with minimum potential for causing allergy. This
does not guarantee that the product will not cause an allergic reaction
in some individuals, since people are allergic to a wide range of
substances. There are no non-allergenic cosmetics.
Not Tested on Animals
This means the cosmetic product was not tested on animals, but does
not guarantee that the individual ingredients were not tested on
animals.
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/cps-spc/pubs/indust/cosmet/index-eng.php cosmetic advertising and labelling guidelines
What is acceptable and non-acceptable in cosmetic advertising claims
“BEAUTY BACKLASH” FILM


76 % of women are insecure of the way they look
Advertisers play off these insecurities as the worse we feel about
ourselves the more we will buy

Beauty companies rely on it in their advertising

“to promise something to people”



Entire beauty advertising is that you base yourself compared to the
person in the ad
The better they look, the more attainable they become and the worse
we feel
The ads create a need that the product can then fulfill
AIRBRUSHED COSMETIC ADS BANNED TECHNOLOGY CHANGING ADS
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gOP-eaqyhsY
COVERGIRL WITHDRAWS
“ENHANCED” TAYLOR SWIFT AD
Advertisements often emphasize sexuality and
the importance of physical attractiveness in
attempt to sell their products and this places
pressure on women and men to focus on their
appearance and trying to achieve the ideal for
that gender that is seen in the misleading
advertisements. The average person sees
approximately 3000 ads a day
BRANDED BEAUTY: HOW MARKETING
CHANGED THE WAY WE LOOK
FEMINISM AND COSMETICS



In just over two decades, from the turn of the century
to the years after the Great War, the image of women
changed dramatically.
The revelation and acceptance of the body were
encouraged by the industrial fabrication of full-length
mirrors, which were produced in greater numbers
throughout the late 19th century, becoming a fixture
of fashionable bedrooms.
The emergence of a more liberated form of femininity
coincided with a media revolution. Magazines and
newspapers were becoming ever cheaper and more
plentiful. In fashion publications and advertising,
illustration was making way for photography,
transforming hairdressers and make-up artists into
stars. Commercial radio broadcasts began in the
United States in 1922, adding to the clamour of voices
that were calling out to consumers.
“BECAUSE I’M WORTH IT”
BECAUSE IM WORTH IT - 1973
BECAUSE YOU’RE WORTH IT - 2004
BECAUSE WE’RE
WORTH IT - 2009

L’Oréal’s famous tagline, ‘Because you’re worth it’. It’s
the perfect pitch for a beauty company with a luxury
positioning. In fact the slogan has been through
several variations, starting in 1973 with ‘Because I’m
worth it’. It was the ideal sentiment for a period when
women were demanding greater equality. And it
lasted until 2004. By then, the feminist message had
been diluted and the line seemed arrogant and
narcissistic, especially on the lips of an actress
earning millions of dollars in endorsement fees. So it
became the more inclusive ‘Because you’re worth it’.
Later still, in 2009, the line was changed to
‘Because we’re worth it’, with the aim of reinforcing
the connection between consumers and the brand.
DOVE EVOLUTION COMMERCIAL
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hibyAJOSW8U
DOVE CAMPAIGN
The Dove Campaign for Real Beauty launched in 2004.
 successful element of the campaign was a 2007 online
video called ‘Evolution’. This showed an ordinary girl
facing the camera. A time-lapse sequence demonstrates
how make-up, hair styling and – crucially – Photoshop
alterations transform her from the girl next door into
the kind of goddess we’re used to seeing in beauty ads.
‘No wonder our perception of beauty is distorted’
comments the end-line, before providing a link to Dove’s
‘Self-Esteem Fund’. This was created ‘to support
different initiatives that help educate and inspire girls
on a wider definition of beauty’.

BRANDED BEAUTY – OTHER
TECHNIQUES










Science Marketing
The skill of beauty marketers is to ‘dramatize science’ in a way that convinces
consumers the product will improve their looks.
But consumer groups are cracking down on exaggerated claims by beauty
brands, led by the Advertising Standards Authority in the United Kingdom –
considered the toughest regulatory market.
Products are tested by independent clinical trial laboratories – but the results
are often manipulated in advertising copy.
Celebrity Endorsing
Celebrity endorsers embody the fantasy element of beauty branding – although
they are also considered important for a brand’s prestige within the industry.
Natural Cosmetics
The Body Shop opened the way for a more polished and sophisticated
generation of natural beauty brands in the 1990s.
The brand’s purchase by L’Oréal confirmed that the natural beauty segment
was now big business.
More recently, environmental awareness coupled with consumer alarm about
the chemicals in beauty products has elevated the demand for organic brands.
FOR MEN
M.A.C COSMETICS
MAC, originally founded in Toronto in 1984
 They dreamed of a make-up brand for everyone:
‘All ages, all races, all sexes.’ Their plan was to
begin selling ‘to professional makeup artists and
models, and then branch out from there.
 They have created a name for themselves without
spending the million dollars on advertising. By
being one of the first cosmetic companies to
support charities and featuring controversial
celebrities, their marketing techniques are
innovative and unconventional

SOURCES







Health Canada - www.hc-sc.gc.ca
Oxford Dictionaris http://oxforddictionaries.com/definition/cosmetic?q=cosmetic
The Guardian: L'Oréal's Julia Roberts and Christy Turlington ad
campaigns banned http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2011/jul/27/loreal-julia-roberts-adbanned
New York Times: CoverGirl Withdraws ‘Enhanced’ Taylor Swift Ad http://mediadecoder.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/12/21/covergirl-withdrawsenhanced-taylor-swift-ad/
Branded Beauty: How Marketing Changed the Way We Look - Tungate,
Mark. ( © 2011). Available From:
http://common.books24x7.com.ezproxy.library.yorku.ca/toc.aspx?bookid=
43930.
The Beauty Backlash http://digital.films.com.ezproxy.library.yorku.ca/PortalViewVideo.aspx?xti
d=37080#
Toronto Star: Dove's `Evolution' ad wins at Cannes http://www.thestar.com/entertainment/article/228160
THANKS FOR
LISTENING