L’Oréal uses transgender model in its latest campaign
The company’s L’Oréal Paris brand has used model Hari Nef in its latest ad campaign that looks to maximise on consumer demand for brands that represent diverse groups and individuals.
The #truematch campaign from the company follows its UK campaign, #yourstruly, for the same foundation range - the brand says that within its 33 shades, consumers will find their ‘perfect match, 100% guaranteed’.
Commentators applauded the move. Comedian Guy Branum said on Twitter: “A trans woman just gave the ‘Because I’m Worth It’ on a L’Oréal commercial. Congrats on some history @harinef."
‘Empower everyone’
The campaign comes at a time when diversity is taking a central role in some markets in the retail of beauty products; market research firm Euromonitor International has noted the segment offers rising demand and growth potential.
“Multicultural beauty is being increasingly explored for future growth. This involves developing targeted lines and marketing strategies to target consumers from diverse cultural and ethnic backgrounds,” the firm explains in a recent report.
L’Oréal’s campaign also features one of the first male models to be used in makeup campaign, suggesting the company is keen to be considered as reaching across traditional boundaries when it comes to colour cosmetics.
"L'Oréal Paris is a brand fueled by a mission to empower everyone to own and embrace their individual beauty and intrinsic worth," the company's deputy general manager, Tim Coolican, said.
"By featuring a diverse blend of individuals and illustrating their individual skin stories, our new True Match campaign celebrates the power and beauty of feeling comfortable in your own skin."
A central focus
L’Oréal has indicated diversity is set to be a central focus for it in the coming years, with the company also looking at the issue from an internal perspective.
At the start of last year, it released its first ‘Worldwide Diversity at L’Oréal Report’ , which examined the culture of diversity within the multinational and looked at how it could be improved.
