Why Avon created a reverse make-up tutorial to draw attention to gender-based violence
Winning The Drum Awards for Social Purpose in the Video and Film category was Avon with a Reverse Make-Up Tutorial that aimed to shine a light on gender-based violence. It was developed by Red Consultancy. Here is the award-winning case study.
Objectives
For more than 30 years, Avon has donated over US$91m to help end gender-based violence. The brand has also supported the United Nation's annual 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence campaign for several years.
In 2023, our objectives to support this UN initiative were to:
- Deliver digital content which inspires social and media conversations around appearance-based abuse
- Signpost where women can seek help
- Support fundraising efforts for Gender Based Violence-related NGOs
Red Consultancy’s remit included global strategy and content creation plus UK activation.
Strategic approach
1 in 3 women will experience sexual assault or domestic violence in their lives but it is not widely understood that gender-based violence takes many forms, including verbal and appearance-based abuse.
We wanted to raise awareness that not all abuse is physical and to showcase what constitutes verbally abusive behaviour, and where victims can seek help.
Our campaign would need to work across diverse cultures in Avon’s top seven markets (UK, South Africa, Turkey, Romania, Poland, Italy and Philippines) and it had to be authentic to Avon.
The plan:
- Create a piece of hero content which could be amplified across Avon Worldwide’s digital and social channels
- Use the content to generate widespread media coverage and discussion
- Bring the content to life with real-life case studies
Key messaging would direct people to sources of help, as well as to Avon's fundraising products for those wishing to support the cause.
We partnered with global NGO, The NO MORE Foundation to provide insights and guidance and to signpost for further help.
Execution
Our starting point for creating our hero content was a typical makeup tutorial video. This was authentic to the Avon brand and is also a universally understood concept that could work across Avon’s diverse markets and their cultures.
The creative twist: turn the transformational journey of a makeup tutorial on its head…
In Avon’s Reverse Make-Up Tutorial, instead of a woman growing in confidence as the tutorial progresses, we start with a happily ‘made-up’ woman who then has her make up stripped away by an abusive perpetrator and becomes increasingly unhappy and distressed as a result.
This unexpected take on a popular content format would take people by surprise, as would a soundtrack of threatening and abusive comments as the abuser mocks the woman’s appearance and erodes her confidence.
We developed the script using experiences from case studies on the types of language and experiences victims of appearance-based abuse can face. Edits were created for different social channels and the video was provided to local teams in an editable format.
We conducted research into abuse and coercive control across Avon’s top seven key markets. Women were asked how male partners had made them feel about their appearance and how they’d reacted to it. This gave us a multimarket picture of appearance-related abuse courtesy of the views of over 7,000 women and how they, their female friends, and family had been affected.
Activation
Reverse Makeup Tutorial Video: Launched on Avon’s Worldwide YouTube channel & signposted via social channels. Shared with media across all markets for editorial inclusion.
Tailored stories created for media: Local teams packaged up the story for their key media with tailored pitches offering different angles and cuts of research data.
Inspiring real-life stories: Worked with NO MORE to identify survivors of abuse who were willing to share their experiences with media, highlighting the action they took to inspire other victims to do the same.
Executive briefings: Avon’s CEO was offered to top-tier, global publications alongside exclusive survivor stories.
Localised approach: Each market worked with local NGOs to signpost them and provide support to people who were dealing with any form of abuse.
Results
Giving a popular video format an unexpected twist resonated across diverse markets to help raise awareness of an important issue and generate funds for NGOs.
We met all objectives with the most important outcome being that it signposted victims of abuse to support services with a 28% increase in visits to sources of online help.
Results vs objectives:
Deliver digital content which inspires social and media conversations around appearance-related abuse...
- 4.7m social media impressions and powerful 136.6k engagements across Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and X.
- Campaign generated the highest engagement of all posts across NO MORE’s channels during the 16 days of Activism against GBV period.
- 150 pieces of well messaged editorial coverage delivering 17.2m OTS
Signpost where people can seek help...
- NO MORE saw a 28% increase in the number of visits* to its online Global Directory, a list of organisations that can help victims of abuse (*week the campaign went live vs the seven-week period prior)
- Campaign helped contribute to 10 x YoY increase to NO MORE support services
Support fundraising efforts for Gender Based Violence-related NGOs ...
- Significant funds raised in Q1 2024 through sales of Avon’s fundraising products in seven key markets
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