Manila, Philippines – To put greater focus on sharing voice and insights from women, global cosmetics company Avon has launched a new campaign that allows women to share their stories, struggles, and successes in their everyday actions.
Called the ‘Avon Watch Me Now’, the campaign is an online gallery hosted at watchmenow.avon.com that features a host of stories reflecting the different experiences of women across the world. These stories range from juggling motherhood and career, to surviving adversities like breast cancer, to overcoming the trauma of domestic violence.
Included in the campaign is Avon’s commitment to donate US$1 for every story shared in the online gallery to charities that support women to help create a better world for women, which equates to a better world for all.
“Avon’s mission for this gallery is to create a space where women can speak up, share their stories, and celebrate their achievements. It will collate authentic stories from around the world, showing that women are strong, courageous, and powerful—and should never be underestimated,” said Razvan Diratian, general manager at Avon Philippines.
In addition, the campaign has commissioned research on gathering insights on how women feel generally during these times, and found out that 41% of women have lost confidence as a result of lockdown restrictions, but that hearing everyday, relatable stories and sharing experiences with others helps these same women find strength.
According to Angela Cretu, CEO at Avon, their research found that 92% of women have felt increased pressure during the pandemic due to various factors such as being unable to see loved ones in person (49%), financial stresses (47%), job security (29%), and homeschooling (24%).
In addition, they also found that half of women (52%) admit they have felt less connected, resulting in feelings of anxiety (44%), isolation (42%), lack of motivation (34%), and self-doubt (20%).
“Despite over half (57%) turning to online platforms to feel connected with their peers, over a quarter (28%) of women admit they feel judged when sharing their own struggles on social media sites, (27%) don’t believe anyone would be interested to hear their story and 40% don’t like to talk about themselves,” Cretu stated.
She added, “Nearly a third say these connections help them overcome challenges (32%) and for over a third (36%), it decreases feelings of anxiety or reduces self-doubt.”
The online archive is the latest in Avon’s long history of supporting causes for women. The company started 135 years ago by fighting for women’s right to work and has since expanded its advocacy to tackle issues such as breast cancer, domestic violence, women’s education, and now gender equality in the media.