Blog tasks: Sephora Black Beauty Is Beauty CSP

Wider reading on Sephora Black Beauty Is Beauty


Complete the following questions/tasks:

1) What was Sephora trying to achieve with the campaign?

Repair its relationship with Black consumers but also spread awareness on the influence Black culture has on mainstream beauty.

2) What scenes from the advert are highlighted as particularly significant in the articles?

A white person applying a cut crease, three drag queens doing their make up.

3) As well as YouTube, what TV channels and networks did the advert appear on?

BET, OWN Hulu, HBO Max.

4) Why does the Refinery29 article suggest the advert 'doesn't feel performative'? 

No one is left out and includes many different people.

5) What is the 15 per cent pledge and why is it significant?

Companies ensure that 15% of shelf space is black owned companies which allows these individuals to be recognised in all fields.

Media language: textual analysis

Watch the advert again and answer the following questions that focus on technical and verbal codes. Use your notes from the lesson to help you here.  

1) How does the advert use camerawork to communicate key messages about the brand?

The zoom ins and close ups, which are done frequently, are used to emphasise the fact anyone can do and be skilled at makeup no matter you're background.

2) How is mise-en-scene used to create meanings about black beauty and culture?

With costumes and makeup, we see that no matter how they dress, black culture is still a huge influence.

There is a diverse cast of actors from asian, white and black suggesting that different cultures are influences by black culture and credits them through this.

The props like the hair brush blue print is used to credit black founders and give the praise that should've always been given.

3) How is editing used to create juxtapositions and meanings in the advert?

The white woman doing her makeup cutting to the black drag queens shows how double consciousness works on anyone and we should accept how black culture influences us all.

4) How are verbal codes used to create meanings in the advert - the voiceover and text on screen? 

The voice over further emphasises and anchors the whole meaning of the advertisement.

5) What is the overall message of the advert? 

That all beauty has been influenced by black culture and it deserves the credit that has been ignored.

Media factsheet

Finally, go to our Media Factsheet archive on the Media Shared drive and open Factsheet #259: Sephora Online Advert - Black Beauty Is Beauty. Our Media Factsheet archive is on the Media Shared drive: M:\Resources\A Level\Media Factsheets. If you need to access this from home you can find our factsheet archive here (you'll need to use your Greenford login).

1) Look at the exam hint on the first page. How does Sephora as a brand and the CSP specifically reflect contemporary social and cultural contexts? 

It allows us to understand how conventions of adverts are dynamic and allows us to discuss social, cultural and historical contexts.

2) Media theory: how are Butler, Gauntlett, bell hooks and Gilroy applied to the CSP?

Burler: This shows how gender is on a spectrum and anyone can use makeup 
Gauntlett: The advert reinforces Gauntlett's idea as it shows how much broader the range of diversity is now
bell hooks: This advert shows how black women are now included in mainstream media
Gilroy: This advert actually challenges racial hierarchy's 

3) What aspects of media language are highlighted on page 3 of the factsheet? 

The close up of a hair brush, which was patented by Lyda Newman, an African American activist and hair dresser.

4) How does the factsheet summarise the advert on the final page?

The advert conveys that Sephora stands for equality and has attempted to subvert racial stereotypes.

5) What are the four ideologies in advertising highlighted in task 8 on the final page of the factsheet?

Consumerism, identity, capitalism, gender fluidity.

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