Eight years, 2920 days, what could happen?
“I don’t want to get married just for the sake of getting married. That won’t bring happiness,” Li Yuxuan and Wang Xiaoqi, facing the pressure from their parents to get married, appeared at the Matchmaking Corner in Shanghai’s People’s Park on a day in 2016, expressing their views on marriage and self.
This scene is from SK-II’s film “She Went to the Matchmaking Corner in the End” At that time, with keen insight, the film boldly explored the social phenomenon of unmarried Chinese women facing pressure to get married, sparking widespread social discussion.
After eight years, entering a brand-new stage of life, they once again appear in SK-II’s film “Why Did They Stop Pretending,” and their stories have gained new annotations.
True insight brings true power
With the rise of the “She” economy, in the beauty industry where women are the main consumer group, female marketing has become almost standard for beauty brands. From a discerning perspective, perhaps the core of female marketing lies in what brands truly see through the current state of women’s existence. How do they choose to stand alongside women?
Regarding the above questions, the insightful SK-II discovered that more and more women on the Xiaohongshu platform are choosing to close the filters, remove heavy makeup, and appear with bare faces, joining the movement of embracing their true selves, known as “Tuo Mei Yi”(It means that women are no longer pursuing or being confined by traditional beauty standards, rejecting participation in or being bound by the notion of “having to be beautiful”), or “escaping the cage of beauty”.
In fact, “escaping the cage of beauty” is not just a trendy buzzword; it is a real social phenomenon. The spirit it advocates, breaking free from constraints and daring to be oneself, undoubtedly resonates with SK-II.
Based on such genuine insight, SK-II selectively focuses on the concept of “escaping the cage of beauty” with regards to age, posing the question, “Can we truly live younger as we grow older?” They collaborated with the fashion magazine Bazaar to premiere the film “Why Did They Stop Pretending,” encouraging women to pursue their dreams and fulfill themselves.
Eight years later, “she” says, “No more pretending.”
In today’s society, women often face various biases and pressures during their growth and decision-making processes. “Pretending” seems to be the only choice that can temporarily alleviate their current situations.
Through a questionnaire survey of 150 respondents aged between 18 and 35, SK-II discovered that 4 out of 5 interviewed women had experienced pretending for the sake of others.
“But if we pretend too much, are we still ourselves?” This time, five women bravely chose authenticity—they decided to stop pretending.
SK-II captured the stories of these five real female consumers, showcasing how they age but continue to live younger.
In the short film, Jasmine, who worked in advertising for eight years, used bold lipstick and high heels as her “armor” to feel more confident in the workplace. However, now faced with a glamorous high-paying job, she says, “No more pretending,” and resolutely chooses her 20-year dream of opening an antique shop.
In fact, the reason SK-II uniquely chose the Chinese pinyin “Zhuang” (in English “pretend”) undoubtedly lies in the broader connotations and interpretation possibilities behind it. It can refer to heavy “makeup” or the pressure one faces from society and identity, forcing them to “arm” themselves.
“Approaching 40, I know exactly what I want.” Li Yuxuan, who participated in the filming of the “Matchmaking Corner” film eight years ago, learned to overcome the pressure to get married and found her passion for acting through spending more time with herself, as well as achieving her most comfortable state of life.
Facing various social pressures, SK-II uses the stories of these five real women to show that women are not alone on their brave journey of self-realization.
While encouraging female consumers to pursue self-expression and embrace the concept of “escaping the cage of beauty” with regards to age, SK-II also makes it possible through the effective anti-aging essence, “PITERA™ Essence,” to answer the question, “Can we truly live younger as we grow older?”
It is reported that the high-energy anti-aging ingredient, PITERA™, in SK-II’s “PITERA™ Essence,” follows a pyramid-like anti-aging approach, starting from basic hydration, advancing to antioxidant and repair properties, ultimately inhibiting aging factors and promoting skin regeneration. It progressively adjusts the skin’s functions, revitalizing the skin from within and combating aging effectively.
A Decade of Transformation Rewriting Fate
Dedicated Participants in “Her Story”
In the past, the collaboration between the beauty industry and celebrities was relatively standardized. Notably, SK-II has long been committed to breaking the traditional collaboration model by daringly and creatively communicating its brand philosophy to consumers through bold and breakthrough initiatives.
This time, SK-II also initiated the topic of “becoming less pretentious” on Xiaohongshu (Little Red Book), encouraging more users to share their stories. They invited well-known figures from the entertainment industry, such as Aya, Yang Tianzhen, Liu Lian, as well as influential Xiaohongshu opinion leaders, to discuss their views on “pretending” based on their own experiences.
For instance, Aya shared her genuine realization at the age of 46, boldly stating, “So what if I’m 46? I can choose not to pretend.” Yang Tianzhen shared her perspective on “how to maintain innocence.” Their sincere and confident sharing, and their courage to face life with openness, provide inspiration and confidence for many consumers to bravely be themselves.
Turning the clock back to 2015, SK-II launched a brand campaign called “Rewrite Fate,” which became the starting point for empowering women to change their destinies. The 2016 film “Matchmaking Corner” became a classic example of integrating women’s topics into beauty marketing.
Today, after a decade, “Rewrite Fate” has gained even deeper meaning, touching on issues relevant to Chinese women’s lives and encouraging women to pursue self-expression. This unwavering brand philosophy was reflected in the 2017 short film “The Expiry Date” and last year’s interactive film “Life, My Choice.” These films demonstrate SK-II’s contemplation and dedication to women’s issues.
It is evident that SK-II goes beyond mere promotion and takes practical action by showing humanistic care for individuals in society. While staying true to its brand values, SK-II has done something greater than just promoting products.
Moreover, SK-II’s long-term focus on the destinies of women as individuals informs us that what women marketing truly needs is genuine respect, not mere appeasement. It is about expressing love openly, including providing support and giving them a voice.
