Sephora Black Beauty Is Beauty CSP

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Read these articles on the Sephora campaign: 


Complete the following questions/tasks:

1) What was Sephora trying to achieve with the campaign?

To show the effect that black people have had on the beauty industry

2) What scenes from the advert are highlighted as particularly significant in the articles?

The mother and her daughter, the drag show dressing room and the beauty parlour

3) As well as YouTube, what TV channels and networks did the advert appear on?

BET, OWN Hulu and HBO Max

4) Why does the Refinery29 article suggest the advert 'doesn't feel performative'?

No one feels left out. The film has more inclusion in its under-a-minute runtime than two-hour features have in the whole film. Rather than dipping a toe in “diversity,” Bradley and Sephora fully submerged us and created a beautiful film that sees us. And we didn’t even have to wait until Black History Month to be acknowledged. 

5) What is the 15 per cent pledge and why is it significant?

The 15% pledge will involve Sephora stocking 15% of its shelf space with Black-owned brands. The significance of the 15 Percent Pledge is that it aims to address the longstanding lack of representation and support for Black-owned businesses in the retail industry. Black-owned businesses face significant challenges in securing funding, gaining access to retail distribution networks, and building brand awareness, contributing to their underrepresentation in the retail sector.

Advertising agency feature

The Black Beauty Is Beauty advertising spot was created by global creative agency R/GA. Look at their website feature on the project and answer the following questions:

1) Why did Sephora approach R/GA to develop the advert?

Sephora came to R/GA ready to do something about racial equity in the beauty industry. The company had already signed the 15% pledge—a commitment to dedicate at least 15% of shelf space to Black-owned brands. It had already commissioned a study on racial bias in retail and was making plans to combat bias in its own stores. Sephora was doing the work above and beyond posting a “black square,” but needed our help discussing its commitment.

2) What was the truth that R/GA helped Sephora to share?

The ingenuity and influence of Black people have led to many of the beauty trends, ingredients, tools, and language we all enjoy

3) How did the advert 'rewrite the narrative'?

The work was equal parts thesis and campaign spelling out the influence of Black beauty culture on mainstream beauty. Our launch film credited Black Beauty for the cut crease, the hairbrush, and many more beauty staples we all enjoy. An editorial partnership with The Cut and an SEM takeover allowed us to continue sharing that history and giving Black beauty culture the credit it deserves.

Sephora website: Black Beauty Is Beauty

Visit the Sephora website page on Black Beauty Is Beauty. Answer the following questions:

1) How does Sephora introduce the campaign?

They quote "At Sephora, we believe in championing all beauty, living with courage, and standing fearlessly together to celebrate our differences."

2) What statistics are highlighted on the website? 

3% of brands at major beauty retailers are Black-owned

<1% of venture capital funding goes to Black-owned businesses

78% of shoppers across the retail industry don’t see enough brands owned by or made for people of colour

2 in 5 shoppers across the retail industry have personally experienced unfair treatment on the basis of their race or skin colour

3) What do we learn about Garrett Bradley - the director of the advert? 

She is an American artist and filmmaker whose work focuses on themes, race and film history in the US. In 2020, she was the first Black woman to win best director of a Documentary at Sundance for her film Time.

Media language: textual analysis

Watch the advert again and answer the following questions that focus on technical and verbal codes. Use your notes from the lesson to help you here.  

1) How does the advert use camerawork to communicate key messages about the brand?

They use close-ups to show off their makeup products being used

2) How is mise-en-scene used to create meanings about black beauty and culture?

Different types of races are used in the advert to show that black beauty has had a positive impact on everyone in the beauty industry. The same goes for the costumes reflecting different cultures.

3) How is editing used to create juxtapositions and meanings in the advert?

They show a hairbrush along with its patent images to prove that it was made by a black person

4) How are verbal codes used to create meanings in the advert - the voiceover and text on the screen? 

Repetition of "Black Beauty" reinforces the importance of black beauty in the beauty industry

5) What is the overall message of the advert?

Black people have had a huge impact on the beauty industry and we need to recognise their work

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