Comments on: Fair and Lovely http://indianwriting.blogsome.com/2007/02/14/fair-and-lovely/ "That was the beginning of the century; this is its end. I have been thinking not only of the people who lived there once, but also of the generations of dogs accompanying them in their everyday bustle, and one night— I don't know where it came from— in a predawn sleep, that funny and tender phrase composed itself: a road-side dog." - Czeslaw Milosz, Borderlines. Fri, 05 Sep 2008 15:53:28 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=1.5.1-alpha by: PolkaStripes-ZebraDots http://indianwriting.blogsome.com/2007/02/14/fair-and-lovely/#comment-781 Wed, 21 Feb 2007 21:14:21 +0000 http://indianwriting.blogsome.com/2007/02/14/fair-and-lovely/#comment-781 damn, what a video! damn, what a video!

]]> by: PolkaStripes-ZebraDots http://indianwriting.blogsome.com/2007/02/14/fair-and-lovely/#comment-780 Wed, 21 Feb 2007 21:12:18 +0000 http://indianwriting.blogsome.com/2007/02/14/fair-and-lovely/#comment-780 geez, that freaking video! geez, that freaking video!

]]> by: Eroteme http://indianwriting.blogsome.com/2007/02/14/fair-and-lovely/#comment-773 Thu, 15 Feb 2007 08:26:09 +0000 http://indianwriting.blogsome.com/2007/02/14/fair-and-lovely/#comment-773 I disagree with the won't-work-in-the-West bit. Vanity is not a geographic issue: http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/200703/postrel-beauty?ca=buhxGSajR%2BPnatiIH5CMmEP2PS%2FCrnyqA07r2wCqyyU%3D I disagree with the won’t-work-in-the-West bit. Vanity is not a geographic issue:

http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/200703/postrel-beauty?ca=buhxGSajR%2BPnatiIH5CMmEP2PS%2FCrnyqA07r2wCqyyU%3D

]]> by: Neela http://indianwriting.blogsome.com/2007/02/14/fair-and-lovely/#comment-771 Thu, 15 Feb 2007 02:44:33 +0000 http://indianwriting.blogsome.com/2007/02/14/fair-and-lovely/#comment-771 Oh I forgot a caveat: I used to work for Unilever. I also was on the marketing side and have business training, so perhaps my comments should be seen in that light. n! Oh I forgot a caveat: I used to work for Unilever. I also was on the marketing side and have business training, so perhaps my comments should be seen in that light.

n!

]]> by: Neela http://indianwriting.blogsome.com/2007/02/14/fair-and-lovely/#comment-770 Thu, 15 Feb 2007 02:43:49 +0000 http://indianwriting.blogsome.com/2007/02/14/fair-and-lovely/#comment-770 Hmm. I'm not a fan of F&L, but I'm not sure in this case, its not any different from the hundreds of beauty products marketed to women both in India and in developed markets. Seems like if we attack F&L, we should attack them all. Second, I agree with Aneel Karnani in that there's no need to canonize Unilever. But there's no need to demonize the firm either. Profit making firms will be amoral and they should be doing their business honestly and in full compliance with the law in letter and spirit. Other issues of whether companies should be marketing such socially dangerous products start getting into paternalism and there's a whole debate on that as we well know. That said, I wish Unilever would run better (read: less pukeworthy) ads for F&L. But they also do the whole Dove self-esteem bit!!! Hmm. I’m not a fan of F&L, but I’m not sure in this case, its not any different from the hundreds of beauty products marketed to women both in India and in developed markets. Seems like if we attack F&L, we should attack them all.

Second, I agree with Aneel Karnani in that there’s no need to canonize Unilever. But there’s no need to demonize the firm either. Profit making firms will be amoral and they should be doing their business honestly and in full compliance with the law in letter and spirit. Other issues of whether companies should be marketing such socially dangerous products start getting into paternalism and there’s a whole debate on that as we well know.

That said, I wish Unilever would run better (read: less pukeworthy) ads for F&L. But they also do the whole Dove self-esteem bit!!!

]]> by: Barbarindian http://indianwriting.blogsome.com/2007/02/14/fair-and-lovely/#comment-769 Thu, 15 Feb 2007 01:20:46 +0000 http://indianwriting.blogsome.com/2007/02/14/fair-and-lovely/#comment-769 I don't think Prahlad's example had anything to do with fairness. He says this in as many words: "I know that you think 'Fair and Lovely' is a bad idea. This is an ideological stance." Come to think of it, the millions of poor women who are exposed to the Sun deserve better skin care, not to enhance fairness but to keep their skin soft. Just like the "privileged" women can. Prahlad is merely lauding the companies for recognizing the demand pull from people who have been dismissed as non-consumers. As a matter of fact many so called middle class people would not have been able to afford many of the cosmetic products had they been available only in US sized packs. Imagine the lowest size pack is a litre of shampoo and it costs 500 bucks. I don’t think Prahlad’s example had anything to do with fairness. He says this in as many words:

“I know that you think ‘Fair and Lovely’ is a bad idea. This is an ideological stance.”

Come to think of it, the millions of poor women who are exposed to the Sun deserve better skin care, not to enhance fairness but to keep their skin soft. Just like the “privileged” women can. Prahlad is merely lauding the companies for recognizing the demand pull from people who have been dismissed as non-consumers.

As a matter of fact many so called middle class people would not have been able to afford many of the cosmetic products had they been available only in US sized packs. Imagine the lowest size pack is a litre of shampoo and it costs 500 bucks.

]]> by: Sash http://indianwriting.blogsome.com/2007/02/14/fair-and-lovely/#comment-768 Wed, 14 Feb 2007 23:31:44 +0000 http://indianwriting.blogsome.com/2007/02/14/fair-and-lovely/#comment-768 It’s ridiculous that CK Prahlad is finding excuses for a product like Fair and Lovely! While I agree it’s one personal choice to buy or not, I hate the way advertising agencies have systematically exploited the prejudices that exist in Indian society. And do we really need this product as a “role model.” I have to admit that I found Prahlad’s “Bottom of the Pyramid” concept (and some of the case studies in his book) interesting but the endorsement of this product is sad and ridiculous. It’s ridiculous that CK Prahlad is finding excuses for a product like Fair and Lovely! While I agree it’s one personal choice to buy or not, I hate the way advertising agencies have systematically exploited the prejudices that exist in Indian society. And do we really need this product as a “role model.” I have to admit that I found Prahlad’s “Bottom of the Pyramid” concept (and some of the case studies in his book) interesting but the endorsement of this product is sad and ridiculous.

]]> by: km http://indianwriting.blogsome.com/2007/02/14/fair-and-lovely/#comment-767 Wed, 14 Feb 2007 21:01:49 +0000 http://indianwriting.blogsome.com/2007/02/14/fair-and-lovely/#comment-767 Tut tut...Andrew Leonard speaketh through the place where the sun don't shine. Such a commercial wouldn't last a NANO-SECOND in western markets? Last time I checked, ALL newspapers here carry at least a dozen ads every day - for tanning salons, breast augmentation, chin-tuck, face-lift, teeth-work ("a new, confident you in 8 weeks!") and God knows what else the Board of Plastic Surgeons endorses and approves. "Fair & Lovely" is just as ridiculous (and offensive) as all the other "new you" crap being peddled to the morons here in the States. (Congrats on the 'bloggies nomination!) Tut tut…Andrew Leonard speaketh through the place where the sun don’t shine.

Such a commercial wouldn’t last a NANO-SECOND in western markets?

Last time I checked, ALL newspapers here carry at least a dozen ads every day - for tanning salons, breast augmentation, chin-tuck, face-lift, teeth-work (”a new, confident you in 8 weeks!”) and God knows what else the Board of Plastic Surgeons endorses and approves.

“Fair & Lovely” is just as ridiculous (and offensive) as all the other “new you” crap being peddled to the morons here in the States.

(Congrats on the ‘bloggies nomination!)

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