Unilever's Lux taps on UGC to encourage public to #StayBeautifulStayStrong

Lux, a brand under Unilever, has launched its #StayBeautifulStayStrong campaign, in partnership with digital agency Wunderman Thompson Singapore. Armed with the insight that women all over the world are embracing beauty as a means of expression and comfort, the beauty brand produced a film to show how beauty can be a source of strength.

The minute-long film was produced in a week, with originally-composed music and sourced user generated content (UGC). According to Gerri Hamill, Wunderman Thompson Singapore’s director of integrated content, UGC was a resource that it had in great abundance with the COVID-19 social distancing measures in place. It then thought there is no better way to create a film about strength than to showcase real content from real women. Marketing has reached out for additional information.

https://vimeo.com/427637746/94885518ea

“Lux believes that beauty is a source of strength and that has never been more true than in these tough times. As a flagbearer of unapologetic femininity, we wanted to send out a message of hope to all, by celebrating those who keep their chin up, their lipstick on and their faces smiling as they go about managing their work, family and so much more, ”said Severine Vauleon, global brand vice president of Lux, Unilever. Founded in 1925, Lux aims to encourage women to embrace their femininity and dare to express their beauty beyond appearances. 

This is not the first time Unilever has covered movements close to heart. Last year, it released a six-minute film in Indonesia targeting 13 to 21 year-old consumers in its global campaign, "Dont Try Too Hard", addressing the trend of perfectionism and fear of failure among teenagers that was on the rise. 

Unilever has been making some changes since the start of this year. In February, the company said it will stop marketing and advertising foods and beverages to children under the age of 12 in traditional media, and below 13 on social media channels by the end of 2020. It added that it will be implementing controls concerning the placement and content of its ads, and will not use any influencers, celebrities or social media stars who primarily appeal to children under the age of 12. According to a blog post, Unilever said that it will also limit the use of cartoon characters. This comes as the World Health Organisation named childhood obesity as one of the most serious public health issues of the 21st century.

Separately in January, the FMCG giant put its tea brands such as Lipton, Brooke Bond and PG Tips up for a strategic review as it saw subdued consumer demand for black tea in developed markets. According to Unilever, its global tea business saw price-led growth, however volumes have been in decline in developed markets for several years due to changing consumer preferences. The sales of traditional black tea is the largest segment of the category, the FMCG giant said, adding that the company has since also expanded into the premium, fruit and herbal market in recent years.

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