Renata Gomide talks about #RespeitaMeuCapelo, a Vult project developed by GUT that returned from Cannes with two Lions
A brand of Grupo Boticário, Vult returned from Cannes with a Silver Lion in PR Lions and another Bronze in Brand Experience & Activation: #RespeitaMeuCapelo, developed by GUT SP, proposes the redesign of the accessory used in graduations, with versions to meet and highlight the diversity and Brazilian beauty of the various styles, curvatures and types of hair.
In partnership with Dendezeiro, made up of Hisan Silva and Pedro Batalha, CEOs and creative directors of the Bahian brand, four versions of caps were produced.
The campaign launched a mini-documentary, with the participation of Professor Dr. Joana Angélica, the first black dean of a university in Brazil, and with former university students recreating their graduation photos as they should have happened – with caps that cater to the diversity of Brazilian women’s hair.
In an interview with propmarkRenata Gomide, VP Consumer at Grupo Boticário, says that Vult is not just a beauty brand. “We are a driving force behind the dreams and aspirations of Brazilian women who have had the mission of democratizing beauty for 20 years,” she highlighted.
Initial idea
Vult is not just a beauty brand; we are a driving force behind the dreams and aspirations of Brazilian women, who have been on a mission to democratize beauty for 20 years. For example, since 2017 we have had a very inspiring project called 220 Vults, which trains and professionalizes women in beauty, so this educational vein is already immersed in the DNA and purpose of our brand. Last year alone, with the project, we trained more than 19 thousand people, together with Empreendedoras da Beleza. We want to foster the pride that each Brazilian woman feels in her journey and we are committed to closely following the journey of our consumers, understanding their needs. That is why, when we launch new products, we dedicate ourselves to deeply understanding these needs. And when we launched the Hair category, we noticed, through testimonials and research, the increase in black students in universities and the lack of representation through a crucial accessory: the graduation cap. A survey by IBGE, for example, shows that between 2010 and 2019, the number of black students in universities grew by around 400%. But if we have Brazilian women with straight, wavy, frizzy and curly hair, why do we only have one style of graduation cap? This was the question that led us to promote the Respeita Meu Capelo project. We understood that the accessory that existed until then had not been designed for the diversity of black hair, and it was time to change that!
From blacks to blacks
We have an essential partnership with the Bahian brand Dendezeiro and the agency GUT, which conceived the project. Together, we created a collection of caps designed by black people for black people, allowing them to graduate with even more pride in who they are. Dendezeiro redesigned and created new versions of caps that cater to, highlight and value the diversity and beauty of hair in its various styles, curvatures and types. More than a more inclusive and special graduation experience, this is an act of belonging. For many people, especially those who are the first in their families to graduate, graduation is an extremely difficult and significant feat, a journey of great overcoming. On such an important day, having your “right” to belong denied is unacceptable in today’s world. We want to ensure that everyone can feel this belonging and that everyone feels represented and respected.
Caps will be donated
In addition to the one thousand units that will be donated for the second-semester graduations at the Federal University of Southern Bahia and the Zumbi dos Palmares University in São Paulo, our partnership will reinforce this legacy by offering free and open consultation of the designs of the new caps. We are making the four models available free of charge to everyone on the Respeita meu Capelo page, so that they can be reproduced by anyone who wants to expand this movement. Any university, globally, that wants to reproduce the models can do so, and we strongly encourage this practice. We want this initiative of inclusion and respect for diversity to reach as many students as possible, giving everyone the opportunity to celebrate their graduation with pride and belonging. Grupo Boticário’s diversity actions are based on this perspective of scalability to increase the impact of inclusion.
Recognition
More than just recognition for our achievement in Cannes, with a silver in the PR (Brand Voice & Strategic Storytelling) category and a bronze lion in the Brand Experience & Activation Lions (Social Behavior & Cultural Insight) category, we won for the positive impact of transformation towards a more diverse and inclusive society. We are a brand designed to meet the needs of Brazilian women and by fostering a project that aligns with the concerns and interests of a diverse and conscious audience, we increase engagement and connection with our consumers, who value brands that reflect their own social and cultural concerns, and the Respeita meu Capelo project is also a way of demonstrating this alignment. Winning this award has a deep meaning for us. It validates the importance and necessity of our project, reinforcing that we are on the right path. This recognition motivates us to continue promoting inclusion and diversity, knowing that our efforts are making a significant difference.
Repercussion
The project had a great impact, achieving great results and impacting thousands of people, and even inspired bill 80/20224, filed by councilwoman Marta Rodrigues, which aims to increase inclusion in the municipal education system of Salvador, the capital with the largest black population outside of Africa, totaling 83.2% of individuals who self-identify as black or brown, according to the 2022 census by the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE). The awards reaffirm Vult and Grupo Boticário’s commitment to an innovative and socially conscious purpose. Another example of this purpose is that the company also won a Bronze with O Boticário, in the Glass category – one of the most coveted at the festival and with only 4 Brazilian finalists – for the Instinto Paterno campaign, created by AlmapBBDO, promoting reflections on the expansion of parental leave as a benefit, which is also an advance in gender equality in the corporate environment.