History

Why was Fair & Lovely launched?

The so-called notion of purity related to fairness or whitish skin dates back to centuries in India
where during marriage if a lady was found to be dusky, getting a prospective groom would be next to
impossible. Although the notion has changed to some extent in this 21st century, the journey of Fair
& Lovely started in 1971 to address this callous notion.

It was Hindustan Lever (Now Hindustan Unilever) that had patented the melanin suppressor
chemical named niacinamide and then patented Fair & Lovely in the same year. As a matter of fact,
the most active ingredient in this product was and still is niacinamide.

A research scientist from Hindustan Unilever discovered in 1973 that if applied topically, Vitamin B3
can lighten skin tone. To check its potency and potential, he started experimenting with B3 for
altering skin pigmentation. With hundred percent safe ingredients, the ‘fairness expert’ came up
with this fairness cream that immediately engaged Asian women consumers as they desired fairer
skin like that of Westerners.

Among the most successful cosmetic brands by Hindustan Unilever till date, Fair & Lovely was found
to occupy around 80% market share in fairness cream category in India, which also indicate the ever-
present inclination of Indian women towards making their complexions fairer. When the product was
manufactured, it was found to be soft and uniformly applicable on skin and it sent off the idea that
by applying this cream, women can fulfill their desires and dreams of getting their prince
charming.

Launch

It was 1975 when HUL brought Fair & Lovely in India and gradually it was launched in major Asian
countries like Bangladesh, Malaysia, Thailand, Brunei, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Singapore, Pakistan etc as
well as a few countries from the West. As fats obtained from plants do not contain as much weight of
stearic acid as the animal body like lard does, the animal body fat is used in making Fair & Lovely.

Initially the company targeted the females mainly from the age groups of 18 years and older while it
was found that the most users were from the age group of 21 to 35. Without any harmful chemical
or bleach, Fair & Lovely offered visible fairness and reversible skin tone which made it listed on
12th position by ACNielsen ORG-MARG as the Most Trusted Brands of India. In 2004, Fair & Lovely
was recognized as Super Brand.

Marketing Strategy
Product

Fair and Lovely uses the best technology in the world for skin-lightening products. The brand
principal of the company is ‘Rescripting History,’’ and it has periodically innovated and experimented
with its products to maintain its quality and remain at the top. Various products under fair & lovely:

1. Various Skin Lightening Creams: The core of their product line, available in multiple
formulations for different skin types and with various added benefits like sun protection,
anti-aging properties, etc.
 2. Face Washes: Complementary skincare products, often advertised to enhance the effects of
skin-lightening creams.

3. Lotions and Moisturizers: These products usually aim to hydrate the skin, sometimes with
the added benefits of skin-lightening.

4. Men’s Range: Fair and Lovely also offers products specifically formulated for men’s skin,
including fairness creams and face washes.

5. Specialized Skincare Products: This can include products targeting specific issues like dark
spots, under-eye circles, or other skin concerns.

Place

Fair and Lovely products are available in almost thirty countries all across the globe. With a solid and
loyal consumer base of nearly two hundred million, the company stands tall, believing that beauty is
a strong motivator in changing one’s destiny. Fair and Lovely has captured the markets of countries
across Africa, Asia, and the Middle East. In Bangladesh, it has netted the people’s imagination, print
media, and the markets.

Price

Fair and Lovely positions its products at competitive price points. This strategy is designed to make
their offerings affordable to a broad market segment, particularly in regions with high-cost sensitivity.

Understanding the diversity of its consumer base, Fair and Lovely employs a tiered pricing strategy.
This involves offering products at various price points to cater to different segments, from budget-
conscious consumers to those willing to pay more for premium formulations.

Fair and Lovely frequently employ promotional pricing tactics, such as discounts, coupons, and
bundling, to stimulate sales.

Fair and Lovely adopts a value-based pricing strategy for their premium range. This is where the price
is set based on the product’s perceived value to the consumer rather than solely on the cost of
production.

Promotions

Fair and Lovely brand is committed to empowering women’s power, and this initiative has led to the
opening of the Fair and Lovely Foundation. This foundation has served as a great advertisement tool
for the company. The various schemes initiated by the foundation have become very popular, like
providing employment and helping the underprivileged and women. Every year, the INR 1 lakh
scholarship is awarded to a deserving girl child whose academic record has been outstanding.

Challenges
According to the All India Women’s Democratic Association (AIDWA), the Fair & Lovely
advertisements were offensive. The portrayal of women in them was demeaning and false. Activists
from different associations began objecting to the Fair and Lovely marketing strategy. They began to
speak out against Fair & Lovely, not just in India but on international platforms too. Even the
common public found these absurd.
Multiple online petitions and signature campaigns demanded a ban on the product. A few examples
of such campaigns include:

● In 2016, three students at the University of Texas, Austin, commenced an Instagram campaign and
named it Unfair & Lovely. It was a play on the name of India’s most popular fairness cream.
The #unfairandlovely hashtag welcomed people with darker skin tones to share their stories and
photos.

● In 2009, Chennai-based Kavitha Emmanuel initiated a campaign called Dark is Beautiful. She is the
founder-director of an organization called Women of Worth, which works in the field of women
empowerment. This particular campaign was launched to fight the toxic belief that an individual’s
worth is measured by their complexion.

● Inspired by the Black Lives Matter movement, Chandana Hiran, a 20-year-old woman from
Mumbai, filed a petition on change.org against HUL. Within two weeks, it garnered more than 15,000
signatures.

But when it comes to an actual admission of wrong and a change of conscience, little happened until
2012, when HUL made the announcement.

Then, in 2014, the Advertising Standards Council of India banned adverts that depict people with
darker skin tones are inferior to those having a fair complexion. But the question remains that it took
a racial uprising on a global level for these brands to understand this.

The final nail to the coffin came in 2020 because of the USA’s strong protests against racial
discrimination. Pressure had been mounting since last week when US multinational Johnson and
Johnson announced it would no longer produce or sell two of its creams which are popular in Asia
and the Middle East in response to the death of George Floyd and the worldwide debate about
racism it sparked.

"Conversations over the past few weeks highlighted that some product names or claims on our
Neutrogena and Clean & Clear dark-spot reducer products represent fairness or white as better than
your own unique skin tone," Johnson and Johnson said in a statement. "This was never our intention
- healthy skin is beautiful skin."

Solution

In 2020, the manufacturer responded to criticism associating the product with colorism. Sunny Jain,
President Beauty & Personal Care stated the company recognizes that the use of the words ‘fair’,
‘white’ and ‘light’ is not ideal.[3] Jain also announced changes in advertising, communication and
packaging in South Asia.[3] Glow & Lovely also announced in 2020, they plan to feature women of
different skin tones, representative of the variety of beauty across India and other countries.

In 2020, Hindustan Unilever announced the rebranding of its flagship brand Fair & Lovely, removing
the word 'Fair' and using 'Glow' instead.[18] The brand was renamed to 'Glow & Lovely.