Jyothi Venkatesh
Leading up to International Women's Day, Olay India launched its latest campaign showcasing stories of strong Indian women who have made bold choices, defied norms and followed their dreams. In India, the journey to success for women is dotted by judgements and criticisms that question their talent, competence, appearance and capabilities. But there are those who rise up to the challenge and make sure their voices are heard. Olay wants to be a brand that celebrates the spirit of these fearless women who refuse to be held back. The campaign’s message is in line with Olay’s mission to continually improve women’s skin and lives by encouraging them to be fearless and stand up for what they believe in, because if a woman is confident she can #FaceAnything.
Arushi Sethi, Brand Manager, Skin & Personal Care, India and Gulf, explains the thought behind the campaign, “Olay as a brand has always been an enabler of confidence in a woman. Through this campaign, we are celebrating the fierce and fearless spirit of women who have worked hard to break the chains of judgements- be it their appearance, career choices or decisions they make for themselves. The Olay woman has always been fearless, but now is the time to celebrate her confidence so that she is ready to #FaceAnything that the world challenges her with.”
Emphasizing the creative thought behind the campaign Anil Nair, CEO & Managing Partner, Saatchi & Saatchi adds, “Keeping in mind Olay’s fearless ethos, a diverse group of women both incredible and unconventional in their own way stood out to us – designer, Masaba Gupta, actress Kubbra Sait, biker Priyanka Kochhar, plus-size model Payal Soni and YouTube star Lilly Singh. These women embody empowerment, sisterhood, bravery, fearlessness and the inner strength to #FaceAnything.”
The Olay #FaceAnything campaign inspires women to be unapologetically bold, confident and true to themselves. Sharing her deep-rooted connection with the campaign, fashion designer and diva, Masaba Gupta said, “Judgements that surrounded me growing up made me feel like I didn’t fit into the set beauty standards. It took me a while to accept that it was just society’s perceptions and I that was so much more than beautiful—I’d like to say, ‘a dusky beauty with brains’ –and with that strength and positivity, I never looked back. With the challenges life has thrown at me, it’s only taught me one thing—to believe in myself, hold my head up high and #FaceAnything no matter what. Really proud to be a part of Olay’s #FaceAnything Campaign.”
Actor Kubbra Sait, adds, “I never let people’s opinions of me define who I am as a woman. When I switched careers from a cushy job to acting, that made people judge me. They said I wouldn’t make it, I was never going to be good enough, but I knew I had it in me! So, with time, I drowned out the noise and chased what mattered most to me. I hope through this campaign, women all over India are inspired to love themselves more, follow their dreams, just take the leap and #FaceAnything. Because, whatever the society says, you have to carve your own path the way you envision it to be. I hope the Olay #FaceAnything campaign is an inspiration to all women out there to fight for what they believe in.”
Motorcyclist and model, the bold Priyanka Kochhar shared her message for women across India, “As women, we strive hard to cross the ocean of societal norms and judgments in pursuit of our dreams. Mine was to give motorcycles and racing a go, and everyone was dead against it because it's what "the boys do" I was told. I made my choices, making sure gender was never part of the decision making process and instead Courage, Hustle and Confidence were part of the mix. Olay’s #FaceAnything campaign is a celebration of strong women and so #FaceAnything ladies and just chase those dreams. Be fierce. Be a go-getter. Just be YOU!”
A role model for body positivity, plus-size model, Payal Soni added, “#FaceAnything, has been my mantra for years. Being criticized for my shape all my life, I finally got the courage to own my curves. Now, as long as I am happy with what I wear, the opinion of others doesn’t matter. I wish this for every woman out there. It’s such a powerful thought that women are indeed confident and can #FaceAnything. We already have that radiance within us, we just need to let it shine through and chase those dreams! I am happy to be a part of Olay’s #FaceAnything campaign and hope that more women out there come and share their stories.”
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