Skin Lightening and Beauty in Four Asian Cultures
“Whiteness” or having white skin is considered an important element in constructing female beauty in Asian cultures. A dramatic growth of skin whitening and lightening products has occurred in Asian markets. Contemporary meanings of whiteness are influenced by Western ideologies as well as traditional Asian values and beliefs. In this study, we analyze print advertisements for skin whitening and lightening products in four Asian societies -- India, Hong Kong, Japan and Korea. We compare the verbal messages and visual images for both global brands and local brands and across countries. We find that whiteness in these Asian cultures is both empowering and disempowering as well as both global and local in character.
Citation:
Eric P.H. Li, Hyun Jeong Min, and Russell W. Belk (2008) ,"Skin Lightening and Beauty in Four Asian Cultures", in NA - Advances in Consumer Research Volume 35, eds. Angela Y. Lee and Dilip Soman, Duluth, MN : Association for Consumer Research, Pages: 444-449.
Authors
Eric P.H. Li, York University, Canada
Hyun Jeong Min, University of Utah
Russell W. Belk, York University, Canada
Volume
NA - Advances in Consumer Research Volume 35 | 2008
Share Proceeding
Featured papers
See MoreFeatured
Can Fear Be Eaten? Emotional and Behavioral Consequences of Intake of Fear-inducing Food or Drink
Jiangang Du, Nankai University
Qiuying Zheng, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine
Michael K. Hui, Chinese University of Hong Kong, China
Xiucheng Fan, Fudan University, China
Featured
G11. Sensory Placebo Effects: The Role of Sensory Signaling in Enhancing Marketing Placebos and Consumer Outcomes
Dan King, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, USA
Sumitra Auschaitrakul, University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce
Featured
How Matte Product Surface Enhances Perceived Durability
Taehoon Park, University of South Carolina, USA
Junghan Kim, Singapore Management University, Singapore