Not just the United States of America, the racism debate has now spread globally questioning the ‘standards’ set for beauty. After Johnson & Johnson, Hindustan Unilever takes baby steps in the right direction. The giant FMCG brand dropped ‘fair’ form its infamous ‘Fair & Lovely’ cream as a part of re-branding activity.
This also includes omission of words like ‘fair/fairness’, ‘white/whitening’, and ‘light/lightening’ from its products’ packs and communication.
We’re committed to a skin care portfolio that's inclusive of all skin tones, celebrating the diversity of beauty. That’s why we’re removing the words ‘fairness’, ‘whitening’ & ‘lightening’ from products, and changing the Fair & Lovely brand name.https://t.co/W3tHn6dHqE
— Unilever #StaySafe (@Unilever) June 25, 2020
‘We are fully committed to having a global portfolio of skincare brands that is inclusive and cares for all skin tones, celebrating greater diversity of beauty,’ said the company in its official statement. ‘We recognize that the use of the words ‘fair’, ‘white’, and ‘light’ suggest a singular ideal of beauty that we don’t think is right, and we want to address this. As we’re evolving the way that we communicate the skin benefits of our products that deliver radiant and even-toned skin, it’s also important to change the language we use,” Sunny Jain, President Beauty & Personal Care of the brand continued. The new name is currently under regulatory approvals and would be changed in the course of the next few months.
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Though this could be considered as a big step in the right direction, netizens felt that omitting certain words that stereotype the beauty is not enough. Some feel that instead of changing the name, the product should be taken off the rack while others accused the brand of ‘performative racism’.
Fair and Lovely has been a household name and a pop-culture staple for decades. You think you'll be absolved of perpetuating racism with a textbook re-branding exercise?
Write a corporate-speak apology like you do so well, and pull the plug on the product. Or GTFO.
— An Attractive Male Zebra (@DrSchmuck) June 25, 2020
Changing mindset >>>>> changing name #FairandLovely
— ayushi shukla (@_i_you_she_) June 26, 2020
Changing the brand name doesn’t mean anything if the product is intended to lighten your skin tone. It’s like presenting the same old wine in a new bottle.
— M. (@notsoweird_) June 25, 2020
STOP MAKING FAIR AND LOVELY I DONT CARE IF YOU REBRAND IT THAT DOESNT FIX ANYTHING
— broadtsujun • ACAB (@anupapaya) June 25, 2020
#FairandLovely
By dropping "Fair" from its product name, they think they have become "Clever & Lovely" but almost everyone knows thats this is a performative activism— Divyanshu 3am (@divyanshu3am) June 26, 2020
So, what are your thoughts about this?
(Source- Hindustan Unilever Limited)
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