Sorry you can't have this job, please come back when you're fairer
Cut to 2002 in India – “No, I am not going to allow you to play outside in the sun, you will become darker, invite your friends home and play video games” – you would constantly hear my mom say this to me ( 8 year old that loved to play cricket at the park every chance I got). As a kid, I really believed that being fair was the absolute prerequisite to become successful in life.
As I delved into the HBS case, it triggered a wave of memories from my younger days and rekindled my awareness of the deeply ingrained obsession with fair skin that persists even in 2023. Despite my best efforts, I cannot think of effective ways to shift people out of this mindset. Initially, I believed that the prejudice towards dark skin was a result of British colonization of India and its insidious influence on society. However, upon reading the case, I was astounded to learn that this bias has existed for centuries. It is confounding that something as superficial as the color of one's skin can be utilized as a metric to establish their social and economic status. My recollections of a dark-skinned classmate from school being subjected to open mockery and ridicule still haunt me. He would laugh it off, but deep down, I knew he was powerless to change his skin color.
Reflecting on the significant brand equity associated with fairness in India, it is clear that effective advertising has a tremendous ability to shape people's mindsets in today's digital era of targeted advertisements. This power to influence people's attitudes and behaviors is both awe-inspiring and concerning. By portraying people of different skin tones in a positive and diverse light, advertisers can break down stereotypes and challenge the obsession with fair skin. Advertisements must immediately stop featuring only fair-skinned models and need to showcase people/actors of all skin tones, showcasing their talents and achievements without emphasizing skin color. This can help people realize that skin color does not define a person's worth or potential. India is country where people worship the movie stars they like, and for someone like Shahrukh Khan (the biggest star in the country) to go out and promote products like “fair and handsome” is a huge step back in terms of progress. Brand managers hold an ethical responsibility towards society and its prejudices when developing ad campaigns and positioning products.
