exploiting cultural differences... the dark side to marketing
Everybody knows Unilever, a real modern day industry titan, boasting a variety of field leading brands across the consumer goods market. Some brands owned by the company include household names such as Ben & Jerry's, Axe, Dove, and Lipton. They were set up as an organization in the 1930's and today as of December 2011 were listed on the FTSE as the 18th largest company in the world with reportedly a market capitalization of $38 billion. But at what cost has this profit come?
As the phenomenon of globalization has become increasingly the norm large multi-national companies are being able to extend their reach to far away lands where cultures, lifestyles, and perceptions are very different from our own in the west. Is it correct to assume that 'our way is the best way' or should these global entities look to conform to local customs and beliefs? (Note when I say conform to I mean profit from). The wisdom required to tackle this predicament far exceeds my age and I imagine many heated debates have tried to settle this issue but to no avail.
An example of this conundrum is when a subsidiary of Unilever, Hindustan Unilever landed themselves in hot water by refusing to remove their product 'Fair & Lovely' which is marketed under the Ponds brand. 'Fair & Lovely' is a skin-whitening product allegedly used by 2/3 of Indian women. In 2008 they secured 3 celebrity endorsements - Bollywood superstars who backed their product and acted in their commercials. Ponds said the brand "stands for beauty that empowers women to change their destiny." The campaign was titled 'White Beauty.' This subsequently stirred up a fuss with some claiming the product promoted self-hatred of darker skin, an indirect form of racism. Ponds does not see it that way and views the use of Fair & Lovely (and therefore skin adaption) as an enabling '1 billion women in Asia to carve their own destinies that transform their lives'...
Hindustan Unilever was quick to point out that Ponds was recently voted the number 12 most trusted brand in India. This comes from the same organization who owns Dove. Their tag line is 'comfortable in your skin.' Now call me old fashion but I smell a rat...
But how can it be wrong if the country itself not only embraces but welcomes skin-whitening? Are we so arrogant to say we know it's wrong in the West but India's thinking is not as evolved as ours and therefore they are wrong to embrace it? This is just one of the many traps of marketing / advertising in today's world.
One thing is for certain however if you are a business owner or involved in business here in Bermuda, ensure your ads cannot be misconstrued or misunderstood. Create adverts that correctly represent and transmit your brand values. Achieve this by hiring an experienced agency who holds integrity close to their heart and look to serve the public. Make sure they are passionate about what they do... I suggest Aardvark ;).
