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Zhang Ziyi for Maybelline New York.

Isabella Rossellini for Lancome, circa 1980s to early 1990s.

I remember when I was in my early twenties, fresh out of university and working a job that paid $10/hour, I was saving up for Lancome because of Isabella Rossellini’s beautiful face plastered all over those Lancome commercials and ads. Then I moved onto Estee Lauder because of an even more beautiful Paulina Porizkova.  My vanity took over the voice of reason inside me. Somehow, the more beautiful the spokesperson is, the more I want to buy that brand’s products.

Paulina Porizkova for Estee Lauder in the early 1990s.

Obviously, these marketing strategies of using beautiful celebrities and supermodels are highly successful, because not many of us can deny being attracted to a particular brand or product promoted by a famous beautiful woman. And of course, there is no shortage of these beautiful celebrities either. What we have here, at least in the beauty industry, is almost like a beauty showdown of who’s who, each one just as attractive, if not more beautiful, than the next:

Angelina Jolie for Integrate by Shiseido (Japan only), 2006 - 2007

Japan is not only famous for its own beautiful women, but also its obsession of Caucasian beauty. And who exemplifies that Causasian beauty better than Angelina Jolie? Even on the Integrate (by Shiseido) website, she was cited as the muse for the brand as having the ’ideal beauty’. What can I say, except for the great universal appeal of Ms. Jolie?

Cate Blanchett for SKII

Another big name also entered the race: Cate Blanchett. The Aussie actress became SKII’s spokesperson last year. She was a self admitted regular SKII user for 7 years prior to inking the deal, which of course made SKII’s decision even more persuasive.

Speaking of good decision, Elizabeth Arden made one a few years ago when it chose the gorgeous Catherine Zeta-Jones to be its spokesperson. I was never a big fan of this brand, but after Mrs. Douglas graciously appeared in all the Elizabeth Arden ads, several Elizabeth Arden cosmetics managed to find their way into my makeup bag.

International superstar Gong Li for Loreal Paris.

L’Oreal Paris, a major cosmetics giant that owns Kiehl’s, Lancome, Biotherm, Helena Rubinstein, Giorgio Armani, Maybelline NY and Shu Uemura, boasts a vast array of beautiful celebrities spanning a few continents. By using ethnically diverse celebrities who are famous internationally, L’Oreal appeals to women all over the world.

Aishwarya Rai for Loreal Paris.

Since Asia is a particularly large cosmetics market (Japan is the world’s second largest cosmetics market), companies like L’Oreal Paris is also smart in using some local celebrities specifically suited for that particular region. Gong Li, for example, is the spokesperson for L’Oreal in Taiwan, Hong Kong and China, while stars like Diane Keaton and Eva Longoria Parker are the spokespersons for the domestic (US & Canada) campaigns.

Italian actress and model Monica Bellucci for Dior.

But when it comes to the most universal appeal, few can argue that Dior made the best choice of them all. Instead of using some twenty year old model, Dior chose Monica Bellucci, one of the most beautiful women in the world, and most importantly, she is over 40. The image of Monica is sensual, alluring and incredibly beautiful without appearing too old or too young. Her gorgeous face is unlined and yet not airbrushed on the ads. Here’s something we can all aspire to: looking your best without giving in to botox and eating disorders. In my opinion, Bellucci is the fairest of them all.

 

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