Throughout the ages, we haven't been happy in our own skins. Generalizing, westerns want to be tanned, and the rest of the world are aiming for whiter skin. Coming to which: who defines the customer behavior? What is it based? We can think about the cultural factors, but must admit that, partly fashion and trends define the customer behavior. And who creates the trends and fashion?
In the end of the day, it's us, marketers. We also have a power to make a change - for example to these trends of bleaching the skin white or tanning it with injections (yes, Caucasian people do that surprisingly lot) and creams. I was addicted for being tanned when younger, even never got tanned by the sun, so used those poisonous lotions and looked like a clown. Imagine a blond and originally pale person with a orange skin that was supposed to be a deep tan. And that is only because of the beauty image that has been sold to the people by marketers in the Northern Europe that time.
The fact is, that there aren't too many women - either black or white, latte, or whatever color we want use to call us, humans, in the CEO positions of the biggest corporations. Why?
I totally understand, that at least skin bleaching is also considered as a cultural thing as it's been done for so long. I think, that Asian women are extremely beautiful everywhere I go around Asia. So are all women. Well, not all - it's about the inner beauty and goodness. It's about humanity. If a person don't have that, she or he is not beautiful in my eyes. I don't judge the skin bleaching though, I don't judge the self tanning product addicts either. It's all everybody's own choice.
The fact is, that there aren't too many women - either black or white, latte, or whatever color we want use to call us, humans, in the CEO positions of the biggest corporations. Why? Even, for example in the States these days, people whom are the most educated are Afro-American women. In the biggest corporations, there is only one female CEO who stands out, who is originally from India, nowadays American, Indra Nooyi. CEO of PepsiCo since 2006. Quite a long period for a CEO. Meaning that she's nailing it. She is intelligent and beautiful. And doesn't seem like she has needed a skin bleach to get into that position.
Shouldn't people be able to feel beautiful in their own skin color? In the era of racism, hate and violence, why not to change the customer behavior to the more human direction? We have the tools for it.