The "Born this Way" campaign by Lux, launched in South Africa in 2021, aligns its brand proposition with the principles of authentic and inclusive beauty. Rooted in Unilever’s global Positive Beauty vision, the campaign underscores Lux’s commitment to empowering women to embrace their natural appearance confidently, independent of societal judgments. By linking the brand with Caster Semenya’s highly publicized struggle against discrimination based on her genetic traits, Lux positions itself as a champion for women’s dignity and individuality, reinforcing the idea that true beauty is self-defined and resilient.
Strategically, the campaign leverages the real-life narrative of Caster Semenya—a celebrated Olympic athlete subjected to public scrutiny and institutional barriers—as a powerful symbol of strength and defiance against unfair standards. The campaign’s insight centers on challenging oppressive beauty norms and celebrating diversity, particularly within the South African cultural and political context, where Semenya’s battle has garnered significant legal and parliamentary support. By adopting an advocacy-driven approach, Lux connects emotionally with a target audience attuned to social justice and empowerment, amplifying its message through digital channels with the hashtag #IStandWithCaster. The creative angle directly confronts discrimination and calls for collective action to overturn punitive rulings that undermine personal identity and fairness. This integration of brand values with a relevant social issue serves both to deepen consumer engagement and to differentiate Lux within a crowded beauty market through credibility and purpose.
FORMAT#8 ONGOING CHARACTERS OR CELEBRITIES — Uses a recurring personality or celebrity for brand recall.
This campaign centers around Caster Semenya, a prominent and well-known public figure, making her story and presence core to the communication. The brand LUX leverages Semenya’s celebrity and her ongoing real-life struggle for human rights as a rallying point—showcasing solidarity, inspiring empowerment, and building meaningful association with her persona. Rather than focusing on direct demonstration, storytelling arcs involving product intervention, or overt symbolism, the creative device here is the strong, ongoing connection to a celebrity whose narrative complements the brand message of inclusive beauty. The campaign title (#IStandWithCaster), the call for public support, and LUX’s direct advocacy for Semenya’s cause make her the key figurehead, which is emblematic of the “Ongoing Characters or Celebrities” format.
ADVERTISING FORMATS EXPLAINED: https://www.clapboard.com/blog/branding-and-advertising/brand-strategy/12-advertising-creative-formats
1. Dove – Market Positioning
Dove positions itself as a champion of real, inclusive beauty through its “Real Beauty” campaigns, focusing on self-esteem and diversity. It leverages emotional storytelling and social impact initiatives to promote natural beauty and self-acceptance, appealing to a broad audience seeking authenticity and empowerment beyond traditional beauty standards.
2. Nivea – Market Positioning
Nivea delivers reliable and affordable skincare and beauty products with a strong emphasis on trust, gentle care, and family-friendly formulas. It promotes healthy skin as a foundation for beauty, targeting mainstream consumers by balancing efficacy with accessibility, often highlighting moments of everyday care and comfort.
3. Olay – Market Positioning
Olay centers on science-driven skincare innovation, targeting women who seek effective anti-aging and skin transformation solutions. Its strategic angle is rooted in visible results and advanced formulations, positioning itself as a premium yet approachable brand empowering women to look and feel their best at every age.
4. Palmolive – Market Positioning
Palmolive stands out with its emphasis on nature-inspired ingredients and sensory experiences. The brand appeals to consumers desiring freshness and softness in personal care, often combining beauty with wellness and sustainability messaging to differentiate itself in a crowded beauty market.
5. Vaseline – Market Positioning
Vaseline is positioned as a skincare brand known for healing and protection, banking on its story of dermatologist-recommended multipurpose use. It focuses on building trust through its effectiveness in skin repair and moisture retention, targeting consumers prioritizing functional skincare that supports radiant beauty from healthy skin.
Q: What is Born this Way about?
A: Born this Way is a 2021 campaign by Lux, created by Wunderman Thompson for the South African market, that champions an inclusive and equitable vision of beauty. It centers on Olympic and World Champion Caster Semenya, who has faced discrimination due to her genetic traits linked to hyperandrogenism. The campaign aligns with Unilever’s global Positive Beauty strategy, using Lux’s brand voice to support Semenya’s fight against World Athletics’ ban unless she undergoes hormone-suppressing treatment. It encourages women to embrace their natural beauty confidently, independent of societal judgment, and calls for collective action to challenge unfair standards.
Q: What creative device does Born this Way use?
A: Born this Way employs the FORMAT#8 ONGOING CHARACTERS OR CELEBRITIES creative device from Clapboard’s 12-format taxonomy. The campaign leverages Caster Semenya’s real-life story and public persona as a recurring figure to build brand recall and emotional resonance. Instead of relying on product demonstrations or symbolic imagery, Lux uses Semenya’s ongoing struggle and celebrity status as the core narrative device, creating a direct association between her fight for human rights and the brand’s message of inclusive beauty and empowerment.
Q: What is the campaign proposition for Born this Way?
A: Born this Way positions Lux as a champion of authentic and inclusive beauty, speaking to women who seek empowerment through self-acceptance beyond societal norms. Rooted in Unilever’s Positive Beauty vision, the campaign highlights Caster Semenya’s resilience against discrimination as a symbol of strength and individuality. It calls for rejecting oppressive beauty standards and supports fairness in sports and society, reinforcing that true beauty is self-defined. This strategic positioning deepens consumer engagement by aligning Lux with social justice and women’s dignity in the competitive beauty market.
Q: How does Born this Way rank in Clapboard's archive?
A: Born this Way holds a Clapboard Campaign Score of 73/100. This score reflects the campaign’s creative ambition, execution quality, and cultural relevance as assessed by Clapboard’s global ad archive. The rating indicates the campaign’s effectiveness in integrating brand values with a socially impactful narrative and its ability to engage audiences through advocacy-driven storytelling.
Q: Who are the competitors in Lux's category?
A: Lux competes with brands like Dove, Nivea, Olay, Palmolive, and Vaseline in the beauty category. Dove is known for championing real, inclusive beauty through emotional storytelling and social impact initiatives. Nivea emphasizes trust and gentle care with affordable, family-friendly skincare. Olay targets women seeking science-driven, effective anti-aging solutions. Palmolive differentiates itself with nature-inspired ingredients and sensory experiences focused on freshness and wellness. Vaseline builds trust through its dermatologist-recommended healing and protective skincare products that support radiant beauty from healthy skin.
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