Comments on: How does “Fair & Lovely” fare? http://www.bhoopathy.net/wordpress/2007/03/21/fair-lovely-skin-whitening-agent-csr-angle/ Design / BOP / Social Entrepreneurship / Sustainable Living / New Product Development / Technology Mon, 13 Oct 2008 17:23:44 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 By: Ash Bhoopathy http://www.bhoopathy.net/wordpress/2007/03/21/fair-lovely-skin-whitening-agent-csr-angle/#comment-142 Ash Bhoopathy Sun, 25 Mar 2007 04:31:28 +0000 http://www.bhoopathy.net/wordpress/2007/03/21/fair-lovely-skin-whitening-agent-csr-angle/#comment-142 It's interesting though.. We say "as consumers"... but do you ever think about the employees of Unilever? They are consumers too... Their families and friends are consumers of packaged cosmetic goods. They have a social human responsibility to create meaningful product platforms/services/experiences. Another thing that's kinda funny... We chastise Unilever for selling a skin lightening lotion to its customers, but tanning salons in the United States are perfectly admissible. Why is that? One more thing. Doing some research and talking to a friend, I found out that Unilever acquired the company that used to make Fair and Lovely. Since the F&L brand is a cash cow, they have kept it in operation. It’s interesting though.. We say “as consumers”… but do you ever think about the employees of Unilever? They are consumers too… Their families and friends are consumers of packaged cosmetic goods. They have a social human responsibility to create meaningful product platforms/services/experiences.

Another thing that’s kinda funny… We chastise Unilever for selling a skin lightening lotion to its customers, but tanning salons in the United States are perfectly admissible. Why is that?

One more thing. Doing some research and talking to a friend, I found out that Unilever acquired the company that used to make Fair and Lovely. Since the F&L brand is a cash cow, they have kept it in operation.

]]> By: Karthik http://www.bhoopathy.net/wordpress/2007/03/21/fair-lovely-skin-whitening-agent-csr-angle/#comment-136 Karthik Thu, 22 Mar 2007 17:28:49 +0000 http://www.bhoopathy.net/wordpress/2007/03/21/fair-lovely-skin-whitening-agent-csr-angle/#comment-136 Great post man. I think its interesting that both brands are owned by the same parent company despite having such different marketing methods. I think you're right in the sense that the brand managers at these companies are really looking at the ROI involved rather than any sense of morality or ethics regarding their corporate image. Just as the phrase "sex sells" is used, now we are seeing "fair sells" in India and "reality sells" in the US. As consumers, we should just be aware that no matter what they may say or do, these companies don't really care how we feel about ourselves. They only care about whether we feel like buying their products. Great post man. I think its interesting that both brands are owned by the same parent company despite having such different marketing methods.

I think you’re right in the sense that the brand managers at these companies are really looking at the ROI involved rather than any sense of morality or ethics regarding their corporate image.

Just as the phrase “sex sells” is used, now we are seeing “fair sells” in India and “reality sells” in the US.

As consumers, we should just be aware that no matter what they may say or do, these companies don’t really care how we feel about ourselves. They only care about whether we feel like buying their products.

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