It's a kind of magic
Nearly half of all people think beauty advertisements make women feel inadequate; and 28% agreed beauty advertisements do the same for men, according to the survey. Most likely to feel lacking when viewing ads were Canadian women at 74% and Brazilian men (50%).
Synovate Canada's Managing Director, Rob Myers, attributes the Canadian result to body shape and diversity.
"Basically, these ads are difficult to relate to. Most Canadians have figures quite different to those featured in advertisements. Plus we are a multicultural nation - not too many ads represent the cultural backgrounds that people are from and seem very out-of-reach as a result."
So where does all this leave beauty marketers? Operating in a minefield of mixed beliefs, feelings and motivations, says Virginia Weil.
"What a challenge marketers face! Creating and positioning a product for people who feel beautiful and confident, versus those who feel ordinary and happy, versus unattractive and not that happy about it, is a modern marketing dilemma.
"Advertisements need to hit just the right note to build trust and loyalty, without making people feel inadequate. Some brands are now using 'real' people and diverse images of beauty and those campaigns do very well among certain segments. For other brands, beauty advertisements are about aspiration. The trick is getting the right brand promise for the right product for the right people."
The good news for marketers is that there is a world of believers out there. Two thirds of all people think facial or beauty products make a person more attractive; and 72% of women believe this is the case.
What's more, if money were no object, 46% of women and a quarter of all men would spend up on branded facial and beauty products in the belief these products would work their magic.
Back to front page
|
On to next section >
>
A mixed beauty bag
>
Beauty is as beauty does
>
Don't go changing
>
Putting your mouth where your money is (and other things people will do to improve their looks!)
