Sephora Black Beauty Is Beauty CSP
Wider reading on Sephora Black Beauty Is Beauty
Read these articles on the Sephora campaign:The Drum: Black Beauty is Beauty by RGA
Glossy: Sephora celebrates Black beauty in new digital and TV campaign
Refinery29: Sephora’s ‘Black Beauty Is Beauty’ Short Film Celebrates Black Innovation
Complete the following questions/tasks:
1) What was Sephora trying to achieve with the campaign?
It is a campaign celebrating the countless Black traditions and inventions that have propagated the beauty trends we all know and love – from stylized baby hairs and cut-crease eyeshadow to glitter and shea butter-based skincare.
2) What scenes from the advert are highlighted as particularly significant in the articles?
The scenes from the advert that are significant is when the camera pans over Black women waiting under dryers as the narrator poses the question, “What is beauty without Black beauty?” Repeatedly, Black people create trends and receive no acknowledgment while white industries co-opt and monetise Black genius.
3) As well as YouTube, what TV channels and networks did the advert appear on?
The campaign strategy appeared across TV networks and digital channels like BET, OWN Hulu, HBO Max and YouTube.
4) Why does the Refinery29 article suggest the advert 'doesn't feel performative'?
It doesnt feel performative because no one feels left out. The film has more inclusion in its under-a-minute runtime than two hour features have in their whole film.
5) What is the 15 per cent pledge and why is it significant?
The 15% pledge is when Sephora agreed to have at least 15% of their shelves for Black-owned brands.
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. 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 to talk about its commitment.
2) What was the truth that R/GA helped Sephora to share?
R/GA helped Sephora share a truth Black people have known forever: 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'?
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 start by saying 'we believe in championing all beauty, living with courage, and standing fearlessly together to celebrate our differences. Today’s mainstream beauty trends, tools, and products have deep roots in Black culture—and not everyone knows it.'
2) What statistics are highlighted on the website?
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. 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 to talk about its commitment.
2) What was the truth that R/GA helped Sephora to share?
R/GA helped Sephora share a truth Black people have known forever: 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'?
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 start by saying 'we believe in championing all beauty, living with courage, and standing fearlessly together to celebrate our differences. Today’s mainstream beauty trends, tools, and products have deep roots in Black culture—and not everyone knows it.'
2) What statistics are highlighted on the website?
-3% of brands at major beauty retailers are Black owned.
-<1% of ventured capital funding goes to black owned businesses.
-78% of shoppers across retail industry don't see enough brand owned by or made for people of colour.
-2 in 5 shoppers across the retail industry have personally experienced unfair treatment on the bases of their race or skin colour.
3) What do we learn about Garrett Bradley - the director of the advert?
We learn that Garrett is an American artist and filmmaker whose work focuses on themes including race, class, and the history of film 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?
The advert has the camera constantly moving with different shots such as: pan, track, zoom, steadicam and many more. This could perhaps be creating meaning of how Sephora is also constantly moving with the times and are always up to date with trends.
2) How is mise-en-scene used to create meanings about black beauty and culture?
There are different aspects of mise-en-scene seen in this advert. There are multiple props seen throughout the whole advert such as hairbrushes, makeup products etc. which shows classic conventions of beauty .
3) How is editing used to create juxtapositions and meanings in the advert?
The advert has so many different editing styles used in it such as: mirroring, split screens, picture in picture which could possibly reflect the modern culture and digital landscapes such as video calls, youtube and there is use of a grid. The constant moving of the camera could possibly reflect the short attention span of the 'TikTok generation'.
4) How are verbal codes used to create meanings in the advert - the voice over and text on screen?
-<1% of ventured capital funding goes to black owned businesses.
-78% of shoppers across retail industry don't see enough brand owned by or made for people of colour.
-2 in 5 shoppers across the retail industry have personally experienced unfair treatment on the bases of their race or skin colour.
3) What do we learn about Garrett Bradley - the director of the advert?
We learn that Garrett is an American artist and filmmaker whose work focuses on themes including race, class, and the history of film 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?
The advert has the camera constantly moving with different shots such as: pan, track, zoom, steadicam and many more. This could perhaps be creating meaning of how Sephora is also constantly moving with the times and are always up to date with trends.
2) How is mise-en-scene used to create meanings about black beauty and culture?
There are different aspects of mise-en-scene seen in this advert. There are multiple props seen throughout the whole advert such as hairbrushes, makeup products etc. which shows classic conventions of beauty .
3) How is editing used to create juxtapositions and meanings in the advert?
The advert has so many different editing styles used in it such as: mirroring, split screens, picture in picture which could possibly reflect the modern culture and digital landscapes such as video calls, youtube and there is use of a grid. The constant moving of the camera could possibly reflect the short attention span of the 'TikTok generation'.
4) How are verbal codes used to create meanings in the advert - the voice over and text on screen?
The voice overs are narrating the images that appear so that the audience doesn't get confused on the message that the advert is trying to reflect. The bold text on screen can show who they are and what they aim to achieve with the campaign to show their change that they wish to promote.
5) What is the overall message of the advert?
The overall message is that how most of the popular beauty trends that we use today are all from black beauty culture. Sephora is trying to spread this message and make the world aware on where all these trends started from.
5) What are the four ideologies in advertising highlighted in task 8 on the final page of the factsheet? In your opinion, do you feel the Sephora CSP advert challenges or reinforces each of these?
5) What is the overall message of the advert?
The overall message is that how most of the popular beauty trends that we use today are all from black beauty culture. Sephora is trying to spread this message and make the world aware on where all these trends started from.
Media factsheet
Finally, go to our Media Factsheet archive on the Media Shared drive and open Factsheet #259: Sephora Online Advert - Black Beauty Is Beauty. Our Media Factsheet archive is on the Media Shared drive: M:\Resources\A Level\Media Factsheets. If you need to access this from home you can find our factsheet archive here (you'll need to use your Greenford login).
1) Look at the exam hint on the first page. How does Sephora as a brand and the CSP specifically reflect contemporary social and cultural contexts?
2) Media theory: how are Butler, Gauntlett, bell hooks and Gilroy applied to the CSP?
Butler is applied in the advert when drag queens, who are anatomically male, perform traditionally
female rituals by applying make-up. Gauntletts identity is seen when audiences are provided with an array of options for how people of colour could present their identity. hooks says that the Sephora brand aims to attract a diverse audience, and all the females featured are people of colour. They are no
longer marginalised; instead, “black beauty” is celebrated and recognized for its impact on the industry.
Finally, go to our Media Factsheet archive on the Media Shared drive and open Factsheet #259: Sephora Online Advert - Black Beauty Is Beauty. Our Media Factsheet archive is on the Media Shared drive: M:\Resources\A Level\Media Factsheets. If you need to access this from home you can find our factsheet archive here (you'll need to use your Greenford login).
1) Look at the exam hint on the first page. How does Sephora as a brand and the CSP specifically reflect contemporary social and cultural contexts?
2) Media theory: how are Butler, Gauntlett, bell hooks and Gilroy applied to the CSP?
Butler is applied in the advert when drag queens, who are anatomically male, perform traditionally
female rituals by applying make-up. Gauntletts identity is seen when audiences are provided with an array of options for how people of colour could present their identity. hooks says that the Sephora brand aims to attract a diverse audience, and all the females featured are people of colour. They are no
longer marginalised; instead, “black beauty” is celebrated and recognized for its impact on the industry.
3) What aspects of media language are highlighted on page 3 of the factsheet?
Camera pans, medium close-up shots, split screen, mirror shots, binary opposition, voice-over, warm light, transitions, stereotypes.
4) How does the factsheet summarise the advert on the final page?
At the end of the advert, the message “Join Sephora in supporting and celebrating Black beauty” conveys the idea that Sephora is a brand leading the campaign for equality. This may be an effort to address past racial controversies and present Sephora as a company championing ethnic diversity and
equality. The capitalisation of the letter “b” in the word “black” emphasises the notion of black power, its dominance, and importance.
Camera pans, medium close-up shots, split screen, mirror shots, binary opposition, voice-over, warm light, transitions, stereotypes.
4) How does the factsheet summarise the advert on the final page?
At the end of the advert, the message “Join Sephora in supporting and celebrating Black beauty” conveys the idea that Sephora is a brand leading the campaign for equality. This may be an effort to address past racial controversies and present Sephora as a company championing ethnic diversity and
equality. The capitalisation of the letter “b” in the word “black” emphasises the notion of black power, its dominance, and importance.
5) What are the four ideologies in advertising highlighted in task 8 on the final page of the factsheet? In your opinion, do you feel the Sephora CSP advert challenges or reinforces each of these?
The four ideologies are consumerism, identity, capitalism and gender fluidity. I believe that Sephora is trying to reinforce identity by showing a sense of freedom in makeup which could show that their brand is fairly inclusive. Sephora is also trying to move past their scandal by creating this advert to hope that audiences see that the brand is supportive.
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