Sephora Cast Its Own Employees for Its Most Diverse Campaign Yet
Gone are the days of homogenous beauty ads in mall windows and on billboards. Sephora just announced its new holiday campaign, and following in the steps of recent inclusive campaigns from Wet ‘n’ Wild, CoverGirl, and Glossier, Sephora’s latest roll-out is its most diverse campaign yet.
For its new Reach Out and Gift campaign, Sephora didn’t only go the “real person” route for the models featured—it dipped directly from a pool of its own store employees (or “cast members” as they’re called) for the first time ever. Over a thousand consultants applied to be in it, Racked reports, and the final 10 includes everyone from a Muslim immigrant working at a Sephora in San Francisco, to a woman with alopecia working in Oregon, to an esthetician with dreadlocks from Beverly Hills. According to brand reps, the campaign is meant to focus on the personal aspect of beauty, rather than sell whatever the latest glittery holiday offering is. (However, if it is glitter that you’re after, please direct yourself to the Fenty Beauty holiday collection immediately.)
No shade to past campaigns or gold eye shadow, but it’s a refreshing change to see people wearing makeup in a way that’s personal to them. With the recent progress we’ve seen for inclusion and diversity in beauty, Sephora’s campaign suggests that this is a long-lasting shift in how retailers are thinking about product shades and advertising. When even the Sephora’s of the world realize that we want to see images of people like ourselves in ads—and that individuality is aspirational—that’s no small thing.
PHOTO: Sephora
The “models” starring in Sephora’s new holiday campaign
The campaign rolls out in stores and online starting this Thursday, November 2. No word on whether it’ll make you feel better while you’re waiting in line on Black Friday, but at least you’ll know you’re giving money to a brand that gets it.
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