Consumer goods conglomerate Unilever said Tuesday it will no longer use the word "normal" to advertise and package its beauty and personal care products and will ban the excessive photoshopping of models as part of its inclusivity policy.
The company, which owns skincare brands like Dove and Simple and haircare brands like TreSemme and TIGI, said the word "normal" will be removed from the packaging of at least 200 products within a year.
It also said it will increase the number of advertisements featuring people from diverse groups, and that it will not "digitally alter a person's body shape, size, proportion or skin colour in its brand advertising."
Many skincare and hair products use phrases such as "for normal skin" or "normal hair," and Unilever says its global research suggests that using "normal" as a descriptor "makes most people feel excluded."
Sunny Jain, who leads Unilever's beauty and personal care division, said the company wanted to tackle "harmful norms and stereotypes" and shape a "far more inclusive definition of beauty."
"We know that removing 'normal' from our products and packaging will not fix the problem alone, but it is an important step forward," Jain said in a statement.
The company renamed its skin-lightening brand in India last year from Fair & Lovely to Glow & Lovely after facing anger from customers who said Unilever was perpetuating negative stereotypes about darker skin tones.
Mike Pierantozzi joins Movers+Shakers as exec creative director
Creative agency Movers+Shakers has appointed Mike Pierantozzi as executive creative director. In this new role, he will help guide the creative direction of Movers+Shakers’ socially-native campaigns. Pierantozzi will report to co-founder and chief creative officer Geoffrey Goldberg.
With nearly two decades of experience as a copywriter, creative director, and multi-platform storyteller, Pierantozzi brings a wealth of knowledge from his work with major brands including Kraft, Unilever, IBM, and Walmart. He has led the creation of award-winning campaigns for agencies like Red Tettemer, Ogilvy, The Brooklyn Brothers, TAXI, Saatchi & Saatchi, and most recently, Vayner, where he spearheaded culturally iconic work for Planters including “Death of Mr. Peanut.” He led the National Down Syndrome Society and Luvs account, whose “First Kid. Second Kid” campaign was awarded by the Effies, ADC, Clios and LIAs.
Outside of the office, Pierantozzi practices what he teaches brands. He’s gone viral multiple times on his own TikTok account, featuring comedic interactions with his son and a trombone. He’s accumulated 15K followers on TikTok.
“Mike brings a rare and awesome combination of deep social and platform experience, a keen eye for excellent storytelling, and a humble and kind approach to leadership,” said Goldberg. “Mike’s got a knack for turning brand stories into cultural movements, making him the perfect fit for Movers+Shakers. He’s got the kind of bold vision and attention to culture that fits perfectly with our mission to push creative boundaries and drive industry firsts. Plus, as a creator himself he has the innate ability to make people stop, laugh, and share--which is exactly what we’re about.”
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