SEPHORA BLACK BEAUTY IS BEAUTY CSP!
SEPHORA BLACK BEAUTY IS BEAUTY CSP:
Wider reading on Sephora Black Beauty Is Beauty
Read these articles on the Sephora campaign:
Complete the following questions/tasks:
What was Sephora trying to achieve with the campaign?
In addition to promoting the campaign on social media, bringing attention to Black beauty products in Sephora stores, and perhaps even inspiring other brands to take the 15% pledge, Sephora is working to advance racial equity in the beauty and retail industries.
What scenes from the advert are highlighted as particularly significant in the articles?
The commercial also emphasises The advertisement highlights the design of the first synthetic hairbrush with easy-to-clean bristles, which Lyda D. Newman patented. The movie also features a white person applying a cut crease, three drag queens punching each other in the face, and vogueing at a drag ball. These trends are Black and queer, that much is obvious.
As well as YouTube, what TV channels and networks did the advert appear on?
The advert appeared on BET, OWN Hulu, HBO Max, branded content and podcast advertising through Vox and New York's magazine The Cut and digital ads across social media networks.
Why does the Refinery29 article suggest the advert 'doesn't feel performative'?
Due to the history and the inclusion of all body types, orientations, and races, no one feels left out, according to Refinery29, the advertisement doesn't feel performative. The film has more content in its brief runtime than most two-hour films have in their entire production, according to Refinery29.
What is the 15 per cent pledge and why is it significant?
In the 15% pledge, retailers promise to stock at least 15% of their shelves with products made by Black-owned businesses. This is significant because it enables Black-owned brands to generate more revenue by giving them the respect and opportunity to sell their products that White-owned brands enjoy.
Advertising agency feature
The Black Beauty Is Beauty advertising spot was created by global creative agency R/GA. Look at their website feature on the project and answer the following questions:
Why did Sephora approach R/GA to develop the advert?
Sephora was ready to do something about racial equity in the beauty industry and had already commissioned a study on racial bias in retail and was making plans to combat bias in its own stores however Sephora needed R/GA's help to talk about its commitment.
What was the truth that R/GA helped Sephora to share?
R/GA aided Sephora in revealing the truth about the creativity and influence of Black people, who are responsible for many of the popular beauty trends, ingredients, tools, and lingo today.
How did the advert 'rewrite the narrative'?
The work outlined the impact of Black beauty culture on mainstream beauty and served as both a thesis and a campaign. The cut crease, the hairbrush, and many other popular beauty essentials were credited to Black beauty in the launch video.
Sephora website: Black Beauty Is Beauty
Visit the Sephora website page on Black Beauty Is Beauty. Answer the following questions:
How does Sephora introduce the campaign?
The campaign is introduced by Sephora with the words "Support & Celebrate Black Beauty" and background images from their advertisement. In order to highlight how underrepresented and ignored the Black beauty industry is, Sephora also offers statistics.
What statistics are highlighted on the website?
-3% of brands at major beauty retailers are Black owned.
-<1% of venture capital funding goes to Black owned businesses.
-78% of shoppers across the retail industry don't see enough brands owned by or made for people of colour.
-2 in 5 shoppers across the retail industry have personally experienced unfair treatment on the basis of their race or skin colour.
What do we learn about Garrett Bradley - the director of the advert?
Garrett Bradley is an American artist and filmmaker whose work focuses on themes such as race, class and the history of film in the U.S. In 2020 she was the first Black woman to win best director of a documentary at Sundance for her film 'Time'. This advert was her commercial debut.
Media language: textual analysis
Watch the advert again and answer the following questions that focus on technical and verbal codes. Use your notes from the lesson to help you here.
How does the advert use camerawork to communicate key messages about the brand?
-Camera is constantly moving as if it's taking us on a journey on the change in culture and the social progress.
-Lot's of close-ups are used throughout the advert which is to emphasise the features of Black beauty and create intimacy.
-Lot's of zoom ins as well on the Black cultural trends.
How is mise-en-scene used to create meanings about black beauty and culture?
-In the advert we see many different settings used, such as a home where we see a mother doing her daughters hair, a hair salon, dressing room, bathroom and kitchen.
-We see many models who are wearing make-up that features the Black beauty techniques.
How is editing used to create juxtapositions and meanings in the advert?
-Archive footage is juxtaposed with split screens with up-to-date shots.
-Split screen editing represents everyone and captures the varied aspects of Black beauty and culture.
-Photographic effect- importance of image, appeal to Instagram generation/social media.
- Picture-in-picture effect creates video call/ YouTube tutorial effect which reflects digital culture.
How are verbal codes used to create meanings in the advert - the voiceover and text on screen?
- 'What is beauty without Black beauty?' draws attention to racial bias in beauty industry which excludes positive representations.
-'Cut creases, beat faces, legendary icons, baby hairs, laid edges.' Specific Black terminology which gives authenticity to adverts.
-'... doing it for the culture' empowering message which is about brand building for Sephora not inadequacy marketing.
-'The styles we can't wait to post' reflects 21st century media landscape brands and advertisers now operate in.
-'Black beauty'- Sephora capitalise B in Black throughout this campaign which establishes importance of Black culture.
What is the overall message of the advert?
On the one hand, you could argue Sephora focused on this advertisement to build their brand and possibly even use this advertisement as a response to their racial profiling scandal. On the other hand, you could argue Sephora focused on this advertisement to bring people to support and celebrate Black beauty.
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