A few weeks ago, I decided to straighten my hair before going out to one of our classic MBA social events deemed Thank Goodness Its Thursday, commonly refereed to TGIT. I have naturally curly hair and wear my hair curly about 99.9% of the time. Typically I straighten my hair once or twice per year following a hair cut, or for a special event. For some reason, on a random T.G.I.T. my best friend straightened my hair.
The reaction to my hair straightened is comical. Often my friends, mostly guys, don't recognize me. Following the shock there are a series of questions, from why I don't straighten my hair daily, to will I always have straight hair from now on? In talking about culture and beauty in reading the book, "The Culture Code," I've been thinking about the code for American beauty and straight vs. curly hair.
I've often been told that curly hair is "unprofessional" and that straight hair is more acceptable in a business setting. Due to the "unprofessional" look, it has been suggested that I straighten my hair, or pull it back to resemble straight hair. In or out of the business world, I know countless women with curly hair, who straighten their hair every day or ever other day and claim they straighten it "because its frizzy."
My experience with straight vs. curly hair seems to be a common one. As quoted on jezebel.com the topic of curly made pretty was discussed as follows, "On Oprah's "Great American Haircut" special, curly-haired women were made "better" by being given straight hair. "In case after case, beautiful waves, curls and kinks were beaten into submission with blow dryers, flatirons and extensions. In one of the most curious cases, a beautiful woman — who was wearing a gorgeous and undoubtedly hard-won afro — was given stick-straight extensions," write Breyer and Heber. They continue: "Oprah, you are well loved the world over, due in no small part to your uplifting gospel of self-acceptance. Yet, in the eyes of curlies, these makeovers send an unmistakable - and most disheartening - message that one's natural hair isn't acceptable."
With the word transformation, as a factor in the perception of American beauty, this concept is not surprising. American women look to transform themselves using certain beauty products, services, etc.
As a marketing manager, the line is fine regarding beauty perceptions. On one hand American women respect natural beauty (whether that means curly or straight hair), as seen in the response to the Dove Campaign for Real Beauty. On the other hand, women are looking for their own transformation and expect to see airbrushed, anorexic looking models. Obviously the marketing plan and surrounding decisions depend on the product/service at hand, but it is important to understand the current dichotomy in the marketplace. In understanding, I'd recommend a hybrid of the strategy of the two, pulling transformational elements into a natural campaign, or vice versa. Obviously, easier said than done.
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