Amid wider brand crackdowns on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, the latest work from Maybelline and Gold House leans into cultural representation, rather than rolling it back.
“It’s not just the right thing to do, it’s the smart thing to do,” said Yan.
With “Face the Difference,” Wang said the goal is to represent all facets of the Asian diaspora by spotlighting diverse figures both in front of and behind the camera.
“From our photographer, head makeup artist, [and] hairstylist, we made sure to have inclusive casting because we know that it would help ensure true representation of what Asian Pacific beauty looks like,” he said.
From a business standpoint, Wang said that Maybelline’s research and engineering teams gather consumer insights from social media and surveys to understand the issues Asian people are having with its existing products to develop better formulas.
According to Gold Paper, a comprehensive consumer report by Gold House, the buying power of the Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) consumers is estimated to reach $1.9 trillion by 2026.
“The conversation I’m trying to drive is that by embracing our differences, that’s where the beauty lies,” said Wang. “While this campaign is focused on the Asian community, it’s not limited to it.”