A study conducted by Dubu, a strategy consultancy for brands and businesses, showed how brands influence the well-being, formation and maintenance of identities of Brazilians. Dubbed “Sem Cabimento”, the study was conducted with people between the ages of 16 and 50 throughout Brazil, with details on which sectors are viewed more positively and negatively in relation to how brands impact bodies in Brazil.
According to the interviewees, the sectors that most positively affect bodies in our country are health and well-being (41%), fashion and clothing (38%) and food and beverages. When asked about the segments that have the most negative influence, media and entertainment topped the list, with 54%. Closely linked to advertising, the sector was indicated as the one with the most negative influence by 57% of generation Y. Among those who belong to generation Z, the percentage was 53%. The study also reveals that 88% of the interviewees do not identify or only partially identify with the models and actors who appear in advertisements – and that only 12% fully identify with the people portrayed in the advertisements.
The sectors that most negatively influence perceptions about bodies are health and well-being (41%) and fashion and clothing (38%). “Brazilians do not have a uniform view of how brands influence their bodies, even within the same sectors,” explains Julia Guilger, partner and co-founder of Dubu. “This phenomenon occurs not only due to the lack of representation in advertising, but also due to the diversity of bodies and experiences that make the body a unique space made of singularities – successful brands will be those that promote unique connections that recognize this issue, whether through communication or through the diversity of their portfolios.”
Brands – The survey also provides a breakdown of which brands do the best job in relation to people’s bodies. Among Generation Y, the brands most spontaneously mentioned by respondents were Natura (16%), Boticário (11%), Nike (8%), Nestlé (7%) and Adidas (6%). In total, 42% did not know how to answer. Among Generation Z, Nike (13%), Natura (6%), Boticário (5%), Ambev (5%) and Nestlé (4%) were the most mentioned. In this breakdown, 61% did not know how to answer. In total, more than 60 brands were mentioned.
The interviewees highlighted that among the main causes that brands should be concerned about and contribute to in relation to people’s bodies are initiatives to support people’s health (35%), creation of products that respect the diversity of bodies (33%), initiatives to support mental health (29%), an end to image manipulation in advertising (24%), campaigns against eating disorders (21%) and the production of more inclusive advertisements (20%).
“There is significant room to improve the relationship between brands, Brazilians and their bodies,” notes Ivan Scarpelli, partner and co-founder of Dubu. “The creation of experiences that prioritize the multiplicity of bodies, respecting their limits and desires, is fundamental in this connection. This is particularly noticeable among Generation Z, which favors authentic portraits and experiences that reject the idea of standardizing images and discourses.” The survey reveals that the sports and cosmetics segments are the ones most recognized by the population when the topic is proximity and relevance to bodies – a finding that involves the issue of multiplicity of offerings, in addition to access and capacity for expression offered to consumers.
About the No Fitting Research – The “No Fitting” research is inspired by an experiment conducted by gynecologist Robert L. Dickinson and artist Abram Belskie in 1945. The duo created two sculptures for the American Museum of Natural History in New York City with the aim of representing what would be considered the common and normal bodies of a man (Normman) and a woman (Norma). Both were created based on statistical data from women’s clothing, in the case of Norma, and from records of soldiers recruited in World War I, in the case of Norman. In September of that year, the museum and a local newspaper held a contest inviting readers to submit their measurements so that they could be compared to Norma’s. Despite more than 3,800 women entering, none of them came close to meeting the standards of the sculpture.
“This experiment raises many questions about the standards adopted and the criteria that lead a body to be considered common or ideal,” explains Anna Beatriz Azem, partner and co-founder of Dubu. “Racism, identity and the role of women in society are some of the topics to be discussed. Our research deals with a topic that reflects a long historical and social trajectory and is a topic that requires brands to take a stance of continuous recognition and action for the benefit of people. Normalizing unattainable standards and disregarding people’s bodies is to neglect the existence of each individual. Therefore, this study is an invitation to reflect and promote new forms of awareness for brands around this topic.”
For the research, 500 quantitative interviews were conducted with people from all over Brazil, of both sexes, aged between 16 and 50. The confidence level is 95%.
