18-year-old Chicago student Shea Glover embarked on a new photo series titled 'Things I Find Beautiful.' With this project, the teenager captured various adults and fellow students after complimenting them.
Glover enlisted students and staff members of her high school in the project that also doubled as an intriguing social experiment. Upon finding stars for her series, Glover greeted each one with the line "I'm taking pictures of things I find beautiful" before capturing their reactions for the word. In addition to taking pictures, Glover also recorded video footage of the entire experience.
While some greeted the compliments with sudden smiles and giggles, others offered surprise, disbelief and even anger. In addition to being a unique art project, this photo series acts as a social commentary about beauty and self-esteem.
Positive Reaction Photos
The 'Things I Find Beautiful' Series Captures the Reactions to the Word
Trend Themes
1. Body Positivity - This trend highlights the need for embracing all body types and promoting self-love, which creates an opportunity for companies to promote body-positive messages and provide inclusive products.
2. Viral Sensations - Viral content creation that challenges social norms is on the rise, creating an opportunity for companies to embrace creativity in marketing and tap into user-generated content.
3. Emotional Intelligence - The ability to connect with others on an emotional level is a growing trend, providing an opportunity for companies to develop emotionally intelligent products and services.
Industry Implications
1. Personal Care - Body-positive messages and inclusive products can create a disruptive innovation opportunity for the personal care industry to promote self-love and acceptance, creating a new market for previously overlooked consumer groups.
2. Social Media - Online platforms that support creative viral expression can capitalize on the trend of viral content, providing tools and support for users to engage with content that challenges social norms.
3. Education - The emotional intelligence trend creates opportunities for education organizations to develop curriculums that teach social-emotional and empathetic skills to improve communication, conflict resolution, and overall success.