Almay

   Alfred Woititz was a chemist whose wife could not wear the makeup marketed and sold to women in the 1930s. The chemicals and pigments in these cosmetics were extremely strong and harsh.  Fanny was unable to apply them to her complexion because she was allergic. She asked him to experiment with her cosmetics and find a formula that she could use. Alfred teamed up with Dr. Marion Sulzberger, a dermatologist, in order to come up with an acceptable recipe. In 1931 Dr. Sulzberger and Alfred founded the company Almay, using a combination of Alfred's and Fanny's names. They purposed to market their products on the basis of full disclosure as to what was in their product and to give women a hypoallergenic cosmetic option.    

   Almay is a cosmetic company owned by Revlon. The information about their company, market demographics and target core audience is very scarce. As a company they do not prosper very well. Due to their emphasis on makeup for sensitive skin and products that are not tested on animals, they have a very reliable and loyal following. This attracts customers who are eco-friendly and pro-animal rights. Since they do supply to a tight-knit, small niche demographic there is not a wide variety of information on the Almay company. They know their place in the market and they do their job well. Almay appears to be the most up-front company I have researched so far. They seem to be honest in their advertisements and there is a distinctive lack of consumer seduction. Their advertisements mimic advertisements from the 1930s and 40s. Those products were marketed and advertised based on its quality alone. They still advertise in a very old school fashion, they present the product, need no disclaimers and do not overtly use seduction as a marketing ploy. Since Almay focuses on marketing their products based on the product's merits, they do not focus or employ spokeswomen with wide ethnic diversity. Instead they rely on the loyal consumer and well known face of their celebrity spokeswomen. The few celebrities that they do employ are well known because Almay is using their reputation to back up their product's claims.  

Kate Hudson

Almay Cosmetics, 2010 Glamour, Sept 2010

Almay, 2010

Glamour, Oct 2010

CITATION
"Kate Hudson, Actress - Celebrity Endorsements, Celebrity Advertisements, Celebrity Endorsed Products." Celebrity Endorsed Products, Celebrity Endorsements, Products Endorsed by Celebrities. Web. 26 Apr. 2011. <http://www.celebrityendorsementads.com/celebrity-endorsements/celebrities/kate-hudson/>.


"Leslie Bibb, Actress - Celebrity Endorsements, Celebrity Advertisements, Celebrity Endorsed Products." Celebrity Endorsed Products, Celebrity Endorsements, Products Endorsed by Celebrities. Web. 26 Apr. 2011. <http://www.celebrityendorsementads.com/celebrity-endorsements/celebrities/leslie-bibb/>.


"YouTube - ALMAY Commercial." YouTube - Broadcast Yourself. Web. 26 Apr. 2011. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QMdjJNUIdis>.


"YouTube - Kate Hudson - Almay Commercial #2." YouTube - Broadcast Yourself. Web. 26 Apr. 2011. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-CYl1plS-1E>.


"YouTube - Kate Hudson - Almay Commercial." YouTube - Broadcast Yourself. Web. 26 Apr. 2011. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ofQiVQKLJpQ>.


"Almay History." Almay. Web. 14 Apr. 2011. <http://www.almay.com/pg/whyalmay/history.aspx?catid=100004&catnm=WhyAlmay&subid=2&subnm=History>.


"Almay Cosmetics." Health Beauty Advice. Web. 26 Apr. 2011. <http://www.health-and-beauty-advice.com/cosmetics/the-foundation-of-almay-cosmetics.php>.


"Almay - Farmers Beauty Club." - Farmers Beauty Club. Web. 26 Apr. 2011. <https://www.beautyclub.co.nz/en/Brands/Almay.aspx>.


"Leslie Bibb Headlines New Almay Campaign." FashionWindows Network. Web. 26 Apr. 2011. <http://www.fashionwindows.net/2009/02/leslie-bibb-headlines-new-almay-campaign/>.


"Elaine Irwin-Mellencamp." Almay. Web. 21 Apr. 2011. <http://www.almay.com/pg/whyalmay/elaine.aspx?catid=100004&catnm=WhyAlmay&subid=4&subnm=Elaine>.

Revlon

   Revlon began with a single beauty product, nail polish. In 1932 Charles and Joseph Revson and Charles Lachman who put the "L" in Revlon came together to found the famously affordable cosmetic company. Their nail enamel was special because it was opaque and long lasting. This cutting edge "cream-enamel"  was also unique for its pigment based variety of colors unlike it's dye based competitors. An entire product line of manicure accessories was available by 1940 this was also the year that they produced a lipstick which they marketed with their slogan "matching lips and fingertips." They had a multi-million dollar company on their hands within six years and began producing a full line of cosmetics.
   Revlon is now an international company and a leader in the affordable cosmetics market. They do not use a wide variety of models to market their product. But instead use well known faces to appeal to their predominately female marketing demographic. Their product line includes cosmetics for your lips, eyes, face, nails, haircolor, fragrances, beauty tools and brushes. Revlon is also involved in charities for Breast Cancer, Mobile Mammograms, Run/Walk for Women's Cancer Research Program and the Look Good Feel Better Organization to help female cancer patients cope with the physical changes and challenges of their condition.

Jessica Alba

Glamour April 2010

Cosmopolitan Mar 2011

Cosmopolitan Mar 2011
Alba is doing a classic dance pose that
I remember watching the 1966 Batman doing.
Notice that her lips match her nail
enamel as a throwback to their 1940s
campaign slogan "matching lips and fingertips."     

"Dramatization" is the word describing the volume and mascara application at 0:14. It is also obvious that the eyelashes displayed are not natural female eyelashes. Can you say "fake eyelashes" anyone? 

Jessica Biel

Glamour Magazine, April 2010

Elle, Feb 2011

Glamour Magazine, August 2010 

That is a man in the right hand side of the advertisement. The question this ad asks you is "Have you ever been bitten?"Implying their curiosity if you have ever been bitten by the "love-bug." The expression on Biel's face tells us that she has just been bitten by that very same "love-bug." If you buy and wear this Lipstain/Balm you can also get bitten by the elusive "love-bug" and be just as blissful, tantalizing and intoxicating as Biel.

Vogue, June 2010

"Dramatization" at 0:13 shows a magical growth of lashes, implying that using this mascara will make your short, stubbly non-luscious lashes grow strong and luscious. Its odd to notice that at the beginning of the commercial she is crossing the street in a business suit wheeling a bicycle at her side. This is a marketing technique to not only appeal to the business woman but also bring Biel to more of a down-to-earth level. To make the consumer believe that she is more personable and her eyelashes are achievable even for a non-celebrity.

Halle Berry 

Elle, April 2010

Glamour, April 2010

 Elle, Mar 2011

Glamour Magazine, May 2009 

Well that is the first closed mouth look out of all these Revlon advertisements I found. I have discovered in my research that photographers purposefully tell their subjects to keep there lips parted or mouths slightly open to A). Break up tension in the face and B). Give a sense of overt sensuality. Here though I do not think that her mouth closed or lips together give her face a look of tension. The slight smile she wears makes her look more relaxed. 

If you wear Revlon you will always be prepared for those pesky surprise paparazzi. "You never know, a girl's always gotta look good." Now I'm not against being prepared, there has been more than once that I have been caught in the store on a day when I look rough. But I do not think Revlon is my answer to the similar boyscout motto to "Be prepared."

I had to include the entirety of this page because of the hilarious quality of it.

Sep 12, 2008

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Revlon Announces New Line of Lipstick for Pigs

by Paul

NEW YORK, NY — Hot on the heels of Corning’s unveiling of the Glass Sheiling, a solid glass ceiling that appears to be fractured with 18 million cracks,cosmetic giant Revlon (motto: “Without us, women would look like men.”) enters the political-slogan-based-products marketing arena with a new lipstick made just for pigs. Called “Bacon Rouge,” the porcine lipstick will allow pig farmers to give their swine a new look and a new marketingploy to replace the tired adslogan, “Pork: the other white meat.”

“We never realized that pigs were such a huge untapped market for lipstick,” said Revlon spokesperson Honey “Baked” Prosciutto. “Outside of Miss Piggy and a couple of cross-dressing professional wrestlers, we pretty much ignored the whole sow demographic.” Prosciutto credits the current political debate between the Obama and McCain campaigns over the expression “like putting lipstick on a pig” for the company’s interest in developing Bacon Rouge. “You’d be surprised how many women pig farmers there are, and how long they've been waiting for a product like this to put an end to that obnoxious expression,” said Prosciutto.

Pig farmer Virginia Loine agrees. “My girls are so much more than just ‘the other white meat.’ With Bacon Rouge on lips of every one of my sows, it’s time for a new slogan. I’m thinking, “Red is the new White.” Or “Put lipstick on your pig … it’s the right thing to do.” If the lipstick proves as popular as Revlon expects, the company plans to roll out other products in the same line, including eye shadow for raccoons, makeup for monkeys and butt blush for red-rumped baboons.

With the sudden popularity for lipstick on pigs, both the McCain and Obama campaigns have begun searching for new colloquialisms to express their disgust for each other’s policies. Pork producers, jewelers and oyster farmers are lobbying for “Do not cast pearls before swine.”

Source

There is nothing like a satirical point of view on the ridiculous politics of the cosmetics industry and candidate debate.

CITATION

"Corporate  ." Revlon - Home  . N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Apr. 2011. <http://www.revlon.com/Revlon-Home/Revlon-Corporate/Corporate.aspx>.

"Halle Berry for Revlon - Celebrity Endorsements, Celebrity Advertisements, Celebrity Endorsed Products." Celebrity Endorsed Products, celebrity endorsements, products endorsed by celebrities. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Apr. 2011. <http://www.celebrityendorsementads.com/celebrity-endorsements/celebrities/halle-berry/revlon/>.

"Jessica Alba, Actress - Celebrity Endorsements, Celebrity Advertisements, Celebrity Endorsed Products." Celebrity Endorsed Products, celebrity endorsements, products endorsed by celebrities. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Apr. 2011. <http://www.celebrityendorsementads.com/celebrity-endorsements/celebrities/jessica-alba/>.

"Jessica Biel, Actress - Celebrity Endorsements, Celebrity Advertisements, Celebrity Endorsed Products." Celebrity Endorsed Products, celebrity endorsements, products endorsed by celebrities. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Apr. 2011. <http://www.celebrityendorsementads.com/celebrity-endorsements/celebrities/jessica-biel/>.

Lisasz09. "YouTube - Jessica Alba - Revlon Double Twist Mascara Commercial    ." YouTube - Broadcast Yourself.    . N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Apr. 2011. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XwKoMJBGp-I>.

Paul. "  Revlon Announces New Line of Lipstick for Pigs at  Capitalist Banter."  Capitalist Banter. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Apr. 2011. <http://www.capitalistbanter.com/2008/09/marketing/revlon-announces-new-line-of-lipstick-for-pigs/>.

"REVLON CARES  ." Revlon - Home  . N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Apr. 2011. <http://www.revlon.com/Revlon-Home/Revlon-Corporate/RevlonCares.aspx>.

"Revlon." Love To Know Makeup. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Apr. 2011. <makeup.lovetoknow.com/Revlon>.

"Revlon History  ." Revlon - Home  . N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Apr. 2011. <http://www.revlon.com/Revlon-Home/Revlon-Corporate/RevlonHistory.aspx#2>.

"Revlon History  ." Revlon - Home  . N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Apr. 2011. <http://www.revlon.com/Revlon-Home/Revlon-Corporate/RevlonHistory.aspx>.

"Revlon Inc.  -- Company History." Find Funding with Banks, Investors, and Other Funding Sources | FundingUniverse. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Apr. 2011. <http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/Revlon-Inc-Company-History.html>.

RevlonCo. "YouTube - Revlon Grow Luscious TV Commercial with Jessica Biel    ." YouTube - Broadcast Yourself.    . N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Apr. 2011. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jPNUJhAj_hU>.

agentsofbeauty. "YouTube - REVLON TV COMMERCIAL    ." YouTube - Broadcast Yourself.    . N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Apr. 2011. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HctydXjpANA>.

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