Sephora Black Beauty Is Beauty CSP
Wider reading on Sephora Black Beauty Is Beauty
Read these articles on the Sephora campaign:
The Drum: Black Beauty is Beauty by RGA
Glossy: Sephora celebrates Black beauty in new digital and TV campaign
The Drum: Black Beauty is Beauty by RGA
Glossy: Sephora celebrates Black beauty in new digital and TV campaign
Complete the following questions/tasks:
1) What was Sephora trying to achieve with the campaign?
1) What was Sephora trying to achieve with the campaign?
Sephora aimed to recognise, celebrate and educate audiences about the influence of Black culture on the beauty industry.
2) What scenes from the advert are highlighted as particularly significant in the articles?
A beauty salon with Black women under dryers (opening scene),A drag dressing room and drag queens applying makeup,A Black mother and daughter
3) As well as YouTube, what TV channels and networks did the advert appear on?
-Broadcast television (TV ads)
-Digital platforms and paid advertising
4) Why does the Refinery29 article suggest the advert 'doesn't feel performative'?
It genuinely represents Black history, culture, and contributions rather than just appearing diverse.
5) What is the 15 per cent pledge and why is it significant?
The 15 Percent Pledge is a commitment for retailers to dedicate at least 15% of their shelf space to Black-owned businesses
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 advert uses close-ups and tracking shots to emphasise identity and pride in Black beauty. Close-ups of faces, skin, and makeup highlight detail and individuality,reinforcing Sephora’s message that all forms of beauty deserve recognition.Furthermore there are low-angle shots are sometimes used to position subjects as powerful and confident, reinforcing the idea that Black beauty is influential and authoritative,not marginalised.
2) How is mise-en-scene used to create meanings about black beauty and culture?
3) How is editing used to create juxtapositions and meanings in the advert?
The advert uses fast-paced montage editing to link different times,places,and people.Furthermore juxtaposition of past and present shows how modern beauty trends originate from Black history.
4) How are verbal codes used to create meanings in the advert - the voiceover and text on screen?
The use of verbal codes explains how many beauty trends were created by Black individuals which creates surveillance.The text on screen helps with making the message clear and memorable for the audience.
5) What is the overall message of the advert?
The advert argues that Black culture has historically shaped trends and styles yet has often been uncredited. Sephora positions itself as a brand that recognises and supports this influence.Overall the advert promotes inclusivity, representation, and cultural recognition while aligning Sephora with progressive social values.
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?
2) Media theory: how are Butler, Gauntlett, bell hooks and Gilroy applied to the CSP?
Judith Butler can be applied to this csp through the idea that the advert shows makeup and styling as expressive acts,including drag and transformation which suggests beauty is something we do,not something we are born with.David Gauntlett displays his idea of how media provides tools for identity construction.The advert offers diverse role models (Black women, LGBTQ+ individuals).This means that audiences can see themselves represented and build identity through these images.bell hooks displays that black people are often excluded or stereotyped in media.However,Sephora challenges this by placing Black people at the centre of attention.
3) What aspects of media language are highlighted on page 3 of the factsheet?
- Close-ups → emphasise identity, skin, and makeup
- Fluid movement → creates connection and continuity
- Fast-paced montage
- Juxtaposition of past/present and different identities
- Settings (salons, performance spaces)
- Costumes (makeup, hair, fashion linked to Black culture)
- Lighting enhancing darker skin tones
- Voiceover providing meaning and education
- Music reinforcing tone and cultural pride
4) How does the factsheet summarise the advert on the final page?
The advert is described as:
- A celebration of Black beauty and innovation
- A corrective narrative, giving credit to Black contributions
- A socially aware campaign, not just a product advert
- A mix of education and promotion, blending culture with branding
5) What are the four ideologies in advertising highlighted in task 8 on the final page of the factsheet? In your opinion, do you feel the Sephora CSP advert challenges or reinforces each of these?
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