The rise in candy from around the world reflects people's growing adventurous palates and the role of social media in introducing new foods globally.
History has significantly influenced what various cultures consider beautiful. Major economic and political events, along with shifts in the cultural zeitgeist, have all played a crucial part in shaping ideal beauty standards.
For instance, colonialism radically shifted beauty ideals in many Asian and African countries. Features that didn’t fit with Eurocentric beauty ideals, like deeper skin tones, smaller eye shapes and textured hair, were deemed undesirable, introducing a social hierarchy that is still being unraveled today.
In modern society, the rise of the Internet and social media has been a transformative force in shaping beauty standards. Asian beauty techniques and products have spread to the West and entered the mainstream, while Western influencer and celebrity culture has permeated globally. The conversation around beauty has become increasingly diverse and inclusive, celebrating a wider range of features and styles.
These evolving perspectives on beauty have led to the emergence of new practices, which are prominently reflected in modern advertising. Using our AI-powered Ad Evaluation App, we analyzed beauty advertisements from the 1990s and 2000s by the same brands across five different markets - the US, China, India, Japan, and Brazil. Our goal was to observe their transformation over time and identify any movements between these markets.
Previous Archetypes and Values: Sensual, Intimate, Passionate
New Archetypes and Values: Sensual, Intimate, Passionate, Inspiration, Glamorous
Brazil boasts one of the world’s most diverse cultures, but its beauty standards haven't always reflected that. L’Oreal’s earlier ads featured a light-skinned American model, which is not representative of the country's diversity. While the preferences for glamour and sensuality have remained central, modern ads now showcase a nuanced version of beauty, highlighting different ethnicities and genders. This bolder approach contrasts with the seemingly self-effacing ad of the past, redefining and embracing what beauty looks like in Brazil.
Previous Archetypes and Values: Supportive, Down-to-Earth
New Archetypes and Values: Strong, Brave, Determined
Estee Lauder's 2002 ad in China features Caucasian model Hilary Rhoda as the ambassador, dubbed in Mandarin. This ad may have been a reflection of the period's idealization of foreign beauty and a lack of strong Chinese identity in the beauty industry at the time. More than two decades later, the 2024 ad we analyzed showcases Zhang Weili, a professional MMA fighter, training in a boxing ring. This shift indicates a move away from the consumption of imported beauty standards towards the creation of a homegrown ideal. The new standard of beauty emphasizes strength and health, qualities that Chinese consumers admire and aspire to, and see in themselves.
Previous Archetypes and Values: Powerful, Charismatic, Visionary
New Archetype and Values: Playful, Carefree, Fun-Loving, Glamorous
The two L’Oreal India advertisements featuring long-time brand ambassador Aishwarya Rai illustrate a shift in marketing strategy over the last decade. In the earlier ad, Aishwarya embodies the quintessential beautiful Indian woman, dressed-up and perfectly coiffed. This portrayal emphasizes an idealized and somewhat unattainable standard of beauty.The updated ad presents a more casual and relatable image of the actress, which suggests an attitudinal shift among Indian consumers. While she remains glamorous, the ad focuses on portraying her in a more accessible light, thus positioning her as someone who wants to help other women feel beautiful too.
Previous Archetypes and Values: Innocent, Humble, Optimistic
New Archetypes and Values: Warm, Compassionate, Generous, Nurturing, Inspirational
Shiseido's ads reflect the evolving reality of Japanese women over the past 30 years. The 1992 ad depicts a woman at home, where women typically spent most of their time. The modern ad, however, shows Japanese celebrity Hiromi Nagasaku in various aspects of her life—at work and with her family—showcasing the joy she feels. She appears more confident and assertive, reflecting contemporary Japanese views on beauty. In the past, beauty was associated with cleanliness, but now it encompasses a woman living her life fully and enjoying every moment, illustrating that beauty comes from within rather than just external appearances.
Previous Archetypes and Values: Expressive, Imaginative, Sensuality
New Archetypes and Values: Playful, Fun-loving, Glamorous, Entertaining
Both Maybelline ads share a similar concept, creating a fantasy world that doesn't take itself too seriously. Beauty is meant to be fun, and the 2023 version feels like a modern update of the earlier ad's playful message. The latest ad features the unexpected pairing of Bretman Rock and Martha Stewart, and utilizes both their brand personas. This shift showcases a growing consumer desire for inclusivity and authenticity in advertising, challenging traditional notions of beauty and expanding the idea of who gets to wear makeup.
Our analysis of ads from these five markets reveals three key ways ideas have traveled, highlighting the shift from one-dimensional to multidimensional beauty. The meaning of this shift varies across cultures.
Many modern ads demonstrate a shift in the relationship and power dynamics between beauty brands and consumers. In the past, the beauty industry focused on highlighting imperfections and promoting unattainable standards that could only be achieved through their products. Today, consumers are more empowered and seek brands that affirm their beauty and support them in their journey to become the best version of themselves.
Markets Demostrating this Theme: USA. Brazil, Japan.
Modern beauty ads seem to share a common thread: beauty is about play and passion. It’s meant to be fun and accessible to everyone who wants to take part in it. It's believed that happiness and fulfillment in life radiate outwardly. When you feel content and satisfied, it enhances your external appearance.Brands need to promote the idea that their products are a means to explore, have fun, and express joy, reinforcing where true beauty comes from.
Markets Demostrating this Theme: USA, Brazil, China, Japan, India.
Seeing yourself on screen is more important than ever before. Consumers are demanding to see people who not only look like them but also reflect the unique interpretations of beauty in their respective countries. They want to see individuals who mirror their ideals and lifestyles and with whom they can emotionally connect.
The expectation is for brands to understand them on a far deeper level and cater to their beauty standards, rather than setting the standards for them.
Markets Demostrating this Theme: USA, Brazil, China, Japan.
Candy remains a favorite in ASMR eating videos due to its visual appeal and sound when chewed. Recently, popular candies with crunchy and sludgy sounds have become especially soothing.
Consumers' tastes now favor sharper, tangier flavors. Sour candy offers a refreshing contrast to sweetness and stimulates dopamine release. It is also believed to be a quick antidote for anxiety, as it distracts the brain from negative emotions and focuses it on the tingly sensation in the mouth.
Nostalgia has hit the candy market, with 90s and 00s favorites like Ring Pops, Airheads, and Nerds topping Amazon’s Best Sellers list, indicating consumers’ craving for childhood snacks.
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As beauty standards become more inclusive and diverse, it is clear that consumers are driving a transformative shift in media and advertising, seeking representations that are authentic, empowering, and reflective of their true selves.
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Virtual Reality (VR) provides a captivating and immersive experience, allowing people to escape into another world. The pandemic has accelerated the growth of “Social VR”, with brands taking advantage of the opportunity to create virtual meeting spaces and multiplayer worlds to engage customers in meaningful and authentic ways. Using Sphere, we analyze how people interact in virtual spaces, providing valuable insights to brands so they can better understand their customers and create strategies to connect with them in a more effective manner.
Virtual Reality(VR) allows you to step into another world by yourself — and perhaps more significantly, with others. Accelerated by COVID, “Social VR” is all about immersive virtual meeting spaces and multiplayer worlds.
Today, we analyze VR's lively — and sometimes lonely — world to understand better these emotions and how human desire for connection is unfolding in virtual spaces.
Here’s what we found:
Spheres Analysis of 2,000+ Tiktoks revealed top image emotions: fear, affiliation & creativity.
Fear was a top detected image emotion, with 31% of posts mentioning social anxiety. For introverts, VR helps them to control the duration (and form) in which they socialize. One user admits, “I’m ex-military, so being around a whole lot of people makes me nervous…but [on VR Chat] I can just click a button and I’m gone, you know?”
VR not only provides a way for introverts to control their social interaction at their own pace but also increases accessibility for those with impaired mobility (#vrASL boasts a lively sign language community).
synthesizing vast data into actionable insights that reflect each market's unique cultural and economic backdrop
grasping the distinct consumer perspectives that these diverse regions offer
While social VR serves as a safe space for those who fear real in-person socialization, for others, that same social anxiety is merely replicated on VR (ie: nerves before entering a VR party). The translation of in-person to virtual social anxiety shows how “real” social VR can feel. Perhaps those exact moments of “realness” are what makes VR not just a relatable, but powerful, fantasy.
Affiliation is another top AI detected image emotion. Perhaps that comes as no surprise — over time, VR worlds have become virtual spaces where people create community. VR chat boasts lively communities and social events, from #VRraves to #VRconcerts. It’s also a place where people feel identity affinity group, from #VRchatLGBTQ to #VRchurch.
Notably, #vrcfurries has over 3 million views on TikTok (their most popular world on VRChat, Furhub, is a fur-friendly world with over 2 million visits). Community hubs like this show how VR has facilitated a unique sense of camaraderie — significant in the backdrop of modern-age loneliness. Users with niche interests who would not have otherwise found one another are coming together on VR and forming cross-border virtual friendships.
Creativity is the final top image emotion detected. People are finding innovative ways to connect with others, from watching VR Movies on platforms like Bigscreen to jointly with strangers to finding love on VR dating app Flirtual. Imagination is also baked into VR Chat’s user-generated worlds, where people unleash their imagination (and romantic fantasies). There is a virtual world for everyone, from bunnycore dance bars to nature-themed cafes. Just look at the different subcultures AI detected.
From this deep dive into AI detected emotions in the world of social VR,, it’s clear that VR has opened up a world of possibilities for people to express themselves and connect with others in a brand new way.
For brands, this highlights a couple of key insights.
THE POWER OF OFFERING (PLAYFUL) COMMUNITY
Desiring community is central to the growth of Social VR. Virtual spaces are a refuge from a lonely world. Offline socializing can be overwhelming — and serious. Brands should get playful when creating virtual worlds. Consider interactive hang-out spots (like Givenchy). From a dance floor to a cafe, weave community into virtual brand experiences. Cultivate brand loyalty by allowing users to casually hang out in your virtual world. They will feel connected with each other — and your brand.
USE VR TO EXPAND CUSTOMER REACH
From creating a VR Chat Discord community to getting involved in online discussions, embed your brand into the VR and wider Web3 ecosystem. This can mean launching new products and trials on VR, as Nissan did. The brand unveiled its new model via a VR Chat virtual brand experience. Users sat at the driver’s wheel and tested features, and were later greeted with a virtual latte (Nissan themed, of course).
VR AS AN EXTENSION OF THE OFFLINE
Brands must understand that while Social VR is not just a refuge, but another world on its own. Brands should get creative when building novel virtual experiences. Think virtual pets (as Claire’s did) to brand ambassadors personified as mythical fairies. For Gen Z, expressing themselves as, and starting relationships with, nonhuman avatars is novel, fun — and perhaps liberating.
Download the full report to find out more.
Curated digital profiles:
-Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok (US)
-Weibo and Douyin (China)
Pulled 400 million unique searches to estimate the growth of each segment
Used Quilt.AI’s Sphere language and image capabilities to categorise lifestyle areas into specific segments
These consumers are confident, bold, and comfortable with modern masculinity. They also often turn to social media to express their personal style and interests.
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Actionable Insight: Collaborate with high-profile fashion influencers to create vibrant, trend-setting campaigns that resonate with this segment's desire for attention and admiration.
Highly image-driven, these individuals often seek validation through their appearance and are likely to engage heavily with both grooming and fashion products.
Actionable Insight:Leverage digital marketing strategies that feature before-and-after visuals and testimonials that showcase the transformative power of the products
These men aim to be recognized as modern, open-minded, and sensitive – embodying the image of "the woke good guy" in today's society by actively participating in movements related to activism and gender equality.
Actionable Insight:Design marketing campaigns that highlight their participation in these movements, showcasing products that enable them to express and amplify their desired social identities.
They value beauty while still maintaining traditional masculine ideals of what it means to be good-looking. These men also tend to seek out methods of maintaining their youthful appearances.
Actionable Insight:Market products that boost physical appeal and suit active lifestyles, and focus on dynamic marketing that highlights masculine elegance.
Despite seeing gender in traditionally binary terms, these men aren’t afraid of behaving in more feminine manners. They own their uniqueness and tend to be deeply loyal to brands that affirm their identity.
Actionable Insight:Focusing on brand narratives that celebrate individuality and personal expression will better engage this segment. Brands can also offer personalized services to maintain their commitment.
As consumers who value knowledge, they embrace technology and innovation that enhances their lives. Wanting to stay ahead of the curve, they prefer brands that offer cutting-edge solutions that reflect their own mentality.
Actionable Insight:Market products to this segment by emphasizing innovation, utility, and exclusivity. Brands can focus on how their products integrate the latest technology and engage these men through intelligent content that speaks to their curiosity.
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