M·A·C dropped plans to distribute a Rodarte makeup collection that uses the names of Mexican towns. The move came after blogger Jessica Wakeman criticized the collection as tasteless because one of the nail polish colors was called 'Juarez' and, as she writes, "Juarez is an impoverished Mexican factory town notorious for the number of women between the ages of 12 and 22 who have been raped and murdered with little or no response from police."
Wakeman's comments stirred such a backlash -- see the video for one of many protests -- that the limited edition Rodarte makeup collection was cancelled. Rodarte and MAC apologized, and promised to raise awareness and donate funds to benefit the female residents of Juarez.
What's Driving This Trend
- Ethical Naming
- Brands are reevaluating their product naming strategies to avoid controversy and offense, creating a disruptive innovation opportunity for companies that prioritize ethical considerations.
- Social Media Activism
- Online protests and backlash on social media platforms are increasingly influencing brands' business decisions, leading to disruptive innovation opportunities for companies to engage with their audience and address concerns.
- Cause-driven Marketing
- The demand for brands to align with meaningful causes and make a positive social impact is growing, presenting disruptive innovation opportunities for companies to create purposeful collaborations and initiatives.
Who This Affects Most
- Beauty and Cosmetics
- The beauty and cosmetics industry faces the challenge of navigating sensitive cultural issues in product naming, providing an opportunity for companies to lead with inclusivity and cultural competence.
- Fashion and Apparel
- Fashion brands need to carefully consider the messaging behind their collections to avoid controversy, creating an opportunity for disruptive innovation in responsible fashion.
- Social Media and Marketing
- The power of social media activism in shaping brand decisions highlights the need for companies in the marketing industry to integrate social consciousness into their strategies, presenting a disruptive innovation opportunity for aligning with customer values.
