Defying normal. Unilever makes the move to remove the word “NORMAL” on all of its beauty products. The maker of Dove, Lifebuoy, Axe, and Sunsilk is trying to usher in a new era of beauty that is more equitable and inclusive.

The announcement last week is part of an initiative called “Positive Beauty.” This effort is a strong example of Exposing in the Pink Goldfish FLAWSOME framework.

Exposing is about honesty, transparency, and authenticity. You have to be willing to:

– reveal, instead of conceal
– declare, instead of deny
– disclose, instead of disguise
– confide, instead of hide

You need to embrace a foundation of truth, which is uncommon in a world of spin.

A 10,000-person, nine-country study commissioned by Unilever found that:

– Seven in 10 people agree that using the word normal on product packaging and advertising has a negative impact. For those aged 18-35, it rises to eight in 10.

– Nearly three out of four people want to see the beauty and personal care industry focusing more on making people feel better than just looking better.

Takeaway – Unilever is exposing in an effort to better “challenge narrow beauty ideals.” How are you taking a stance and challenging what is considered “NORMAL” in your industry?

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Stan Phelps walks the walk. He stands out in the sea of sameness by modeling his own Differentiated Experience (DX) message: Differentiation isn’t just about what you say, it’s about what you do and, more importantly, how and why you do it. Stan leverages his unique collection of 5,000+ case studies on customer, employee, and brand experience to engage audiences with informative learning-based experiences. He believes purposeful DX wins the hearts of employees and customers, and differentiation ultimately boosts loyalty, retention, referrals, and results.

Find Stan’s in-person and virtual keynotes, workshops, and Goldfish tank programs at StanPhelps.com.