• Unfair Promotion of Whitening Creams: Is Beauty No More Skin Deep?

    Author(s):
    GAJENDRA SINGH CHAUHAN AAKRETI TIWARI
    Editor(s):
    Jyotirmaya Patnaik (see profile)
    Date:
    2019
    Group(s):
    Communication Studies, Cultural Studies, Digital Humanists, Feminist Humanities, Television Studies
    Subject(s):
    Advertising, Promotional materials, Product design, Communication, Societies
    Item Type:
    Article
    Tag(s):
    fairness, celebrity endorsements, Promotional literature, Gender and sexuality, Gender, Society
    Permanent URL:
    http://dx.doi.org/10.17613/axt1-r611
    Abstract:
    Fairness industry is a multi-billion business endorsing the notion that being ‘fair’ is beautiful and being ‘dusky’ is always risky. This article explores how the advertising of fairness cream belittles the existence of women in India. Focusing on the promotion of whitening brands as a case study, the authors bring out the contradictions and unverifiable assertions in the marketing philosophy of beauty, the social obsession, the aspirations of young men and women, the Bollywood glamour, and the darker side of fairness. It is appalling to see the reckless promotional campaigns even when the tons of whitening tubes cannot change what is genetically determined by the amount of melanin in the skin. Such advertising campaigns of whitening creams and their strategies rob not only the consumers of their self-esteem but also infuse a false sense of inferiority and guilt. The article seeks to understand the marketing campaigns of whitening creams and suggests that their advertising appeals can be altered to salvage the image of Indian women whose survival is not just confined to the skin tone. It further urges the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI)1 to have stringent guidelines to check the representation of stereotypical assumptions of women and their social status in advertisements.
    Metadata:
    xml
    Published as:
    Journal article     Show details
    Pub. DOI:
    10.15655/mw/2019/v10i2/49635
    Publisher:
    Media Watch
    Pub. Date:
    2019-5-22
    Journal:
    Media Watch
    Volume:
    10
    Issue:
    2
    Page Range:
    365 - 373
    ISSN:
    2249-8818,0976-0911
    Status:
    Published
    Last Updated:
    2 years ago
    License:
    All Rights Reserved

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