Q&A: LoveBrownSugar’s Christina Brown on Dove’s ‘60 Years of Care’

This year Dove celebrates the 60th anniversary of its Beauty Bar, and the company has undertaken an ad campaign to highlight the bar’s longevity during a period of time that it worked to advance how its consumers define beauty and skincare. As part of Dove’s 60 Years of Care initiative, the company reached out to Christina Brown, an influencer and marketing expert who founded beauty site LoveBrownSugar.com and is one of the first African-American influencers featured in an international ad campaign. 

 

Drug Store News caught up with Brown to discuss her starring role and how Dove’s efforts have made an impact on consumers in a changing marketplace. 

 

Drug Store News: LoveBrownSugar is known not just for its expertise in fashion and beauty, but also for its message of empowerment for multicultural women — how has working with Dove for its 60 Years of Care campaign furthered your goal of empowering women and embracing self-empowerment?

 

Christina Brown: I think what Dove represents in its advertising, in its self-esteem initiatives, philanthropy and overall messaging really aligns to what I try to promote on my platform. LoveBrownSugar is about confidence; it's about diversity and embracing what makes you unique.  For me, it was the perfect fit.

 

DSN: What does it say about a brand like Dove that it’s put in the work of using real people in their ads and working to ensure that a variety of groups are represented? How does this differ from the way you’ve seen brands work in the past? 

 

CB: I love that real people are the focus. I think the media is warped in thinking that the masses only want to see "perfection". We see models who are beautiful but often set unreal expectations for the people watching. The underlying message is often that you can only be considered beautiful if you look like them. I love that Dove decided to do something different by showing real women in their ads. That was a game changer.

 

DSN: Do you think today’s consumers expect different things from their companies beyond simply providing a product? How do you think Dove has achieved this goal with this campaign?

 

CB: In this new age of digital media, there has been a real democratization of so many industries. With the ease of a button click, customers now have direct access to the people behind these brands and they want more than just products. They want to know how products will enhance their lifestyle and if the brands they support align with their values. I think Dove is ahead of the game by providing campaigns that empower and inspire their customers beyond just beauty.