• by Joe Mandese  @mp_joemandese, March 9, 2021

Backed by new consumer research showing that seven in ten-people feel the word creates a negative connotation, Unilever this morning announced it will no longer use the word "normal" in its advertising, packaging and other forms of marketing communications.

"We're saying no to 'normal' and yes to positive beauty," Unilever said in a statement, adding that "74% of people want the beauty and personal care industry to reflect a broader definition of beauty."

The company -- which received many accolades as well as ad industry awards for its Dove brand beauty campaign, which sought to redefine the definition of age-based beauty -- said the new research being unveiled today "looks even deeper into people's experiences and the beauty and personal care industry," and finds:

• More than half of the people (56%) surveyed said that the beauty and personal care industry can make people feel excluded.

• More than seven in ten said the beauty and personal care industry must broaden its definition of beauty.

• Six in ten said the industry creates a singular ideal of who or what is ‘normal’, and that made them feel they should look a certain way.

• And more than seven in ten (74%) said they want to see the beauty and personal care industry focusing more on making people feel better rather than just look better.

"Participants also told us that they wanted to see a more inclusive range of people reflected by beauty and personal care brands," Unilever stated, adding, "The majority said the industry still has some way to go to better represent people of various body types, people from different age groups, people from different ethnicities and people from the LGBTQIA+ community."