The maker of Dove soap says it will be dropping the word “normal” from its beauty products and advertising.
Unilever, the maker of Dove, Axe and Sunsilk, said it will stop using the word after research revealed that using the word ‘normal’ to describe hair or skin makes most people feel excluded.
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What is Positive Beauty?
— Unilever #StaySafe (@Unilever) March 9, 2021
It’s brands that not only do less harm, but also do more good for people and the planet.
That’s why we’re saying #YesToPositiveBeauty, and our beauty brands are removing the word normal from ads and packs all over the world.https://t.co/mmHwMSFx8q pic.twitter.com/64g1mdufmQ
The study, commissioned by Unilever, was conducted across nine countries and included 10,000 people. Here are the results:
- More than half of people (56%) think that the beauty and personal care industry can make people feel excluded.
- People want to see the beauty and personal care industry focusing more on making people feel better, than just looking better (74%).
- More than half of people (52%) say they now pay more attention to a company’s stance on societal issues before buying products.
- Seven in ten people agree that using the word ‘normal’ on product packaging and advertising has a negative impact. For younger people – those aged 18-35 – this rises to eight in ten.
In the release, the company also vowed to not alter a person’s body shape, size, proportion or skin color and said it will increase the number of ads with people from under-represented groups.