Hindustan Unilever has decided to rebrand its image, announcing that it will drop the word ‘Fair’ from its brand ‘Fair & Lovely.‘ This decision has been made to do away with the single ideal beauty standards around the world.
Apart from changing the name of the brand, Unilever will also be getting rid of terms like ‘lightening’ ‘fairness’ and ‘whitening’ from its products and the packaging.
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
This decision is an important step in the right direction, especially since these products have become increasingly popular in South Asian countries. These are the same countries where women are pressurised to be ‘fairer’ by society.
We recognise 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.
-Sunny Jain, President, Beauty & Personal Care Division
Twitter has been quick to respond to this statement:
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
Damage has been done. It’s like ‘hey, we will drop the word “fair” from the title coz we want some cool points but who doesn’t know what this product does. It WHITENS you, that too unnaturally. So long u know what it does, how does it matter what it’s called?
— Payal Gupta (@Payal3107) June 25, 2020
If dropping some words is how you show this commitment, why did it take decades to do it?
— Too Opinionated (@ToooOpinionated) June 25, 2020
#unilever need to pay compensation ( equal to brand profit earned over last 50 years ) to entire Asian & African communities for telling them your color is inferior @PMOIndia India should tax such products equal to tobacco and liquor as they kill people’s confidence
— Shailesh Naik (@scode_snn) June 25, 2020
This should have been done long back but a good step nonetheless. Mostly done in light of likely ban on adversting fairness products. Several brands themselves have propogated insecurity n discrimination in masses. Even if they wake up now, there is still time to lead the change.
— Meenu Sharma (@meenusharma01) June 25, 2020
oh god. yes. waiting for: 'radiance' or 'glow' or 'youthful' 'dewiness' or 'exfoliation' or 'removing all traces of pollution' or 'even skin tone' or some combination of the above. hai.
— Zareen. (@b_zareen) June 25, 2020
*off to sit in the sun. which i enjoy. ✌️🏾
how nice of you. bit late, but still.
— Zareen. (@b_zareen) June 25, 2020
tho: how about just removing the product from your line.
We look forward to seeing how the brand is going to revamp its image.
