Glow Recipe and the Future of Anonymous Casting in the Beauty Industry
Glow Recipe, a popular skincare brand that champions real beauty and clean formulas, just did something groundbreaking. And, in a heavily saturated beauty and skincare market, that’s quite rare.
A few days ago, the U.S.-based brand revealed the results of an epic new campaign that they marketed as “Dew You.” However, unlike other beauty campaigns, the USP behind this was that it was all completed anonymously.
Yes, we genuinely mean that Glow Recipe did a beauty and skincare open-casting call without actually seeing the models. And honestly, the results are amazing. For us, the proof is in the impressive campaign shots which feature ten people owning their versions of beauty.
This couldn’t be more aligned with what TIB is trying to achieve. So let’s learn more about Glow Recipe’s recent campaign and meet some of the people chosen to take part.
How does an anonymous open-casting work?
In their recent campaign, Glow Recipe sifted through over 2500 applications from their community, eventually choosing 10 outstanding models for their Watermelon Glow Niacinamide Dew Drops Campaign. The team worked with a DEI specialist in order to make the application as open and inclusive as possible, removing biases such as names and ages. The application included questions that asked about their approaches to beauty and their personal experiences.
Speaking about their decision to make the casting call anonymous, the Glow Recipe team recently wrote: “Our community is central to everything that we do and we believe that everyone deserves to star in a beauty campaign. That’s why we decided to do a completely sight-unseen casting with real Glow Recipe lovers.”
What made the 10 selections stand out was not just external appearance, but their vibrant personalities and inner beauty. That’s what the team was looking for during the application process. After narrowing it down to 40 potential models, Glow Recipe jumped on a call with each person before making their final selection.
Writing about their selection process, Glow Recipe wrote on social media: “The first time we saw what our models looked like was on a Zoom call when we let them know they were cast!”
The campaign's outcome clearly resonated with Glow Recipe's core values: fostering self-confidence, nurturing a supportive community, celebrating individuality, and, undeniably, promoting radiant skin. They then flew all their models out to NYC for the shoot — as part of a campaign that they admitted was their “most meaningful shoot yet.”
Meeting Glow Recipe’s new models
What stands out about the people Glow Recipe chose, is that they clearly shine. The campaign shots and behind-the-scenes videos give a sense of playfulness and fun in a community that is championing a new version of beauty. Yay!
Each person has a different story and comes from a different part of the U.S., celebrating diversity, and uniqueness. However, they all had a similar approach to the world of beauty: It’s time we started celebrating being ourselves. To really back this point, Glow Recipe have featured quotes on their website from each of their models about what beauty means to them.
“Beauty isn't simple, it's not just what our eyes can see or our hands can touch. We each are entitled to our own definition of beauty. To me, I would say beauty is what's in your heart–the way you carry yourself and treat others around you,” said Muna, an advocate for fair representation from Minnesota.
Andy, a drag queen from Los Angeles that was also selected for the campaign, said: “Beauty isn’t just about being picture perfect. Beauty is…Something that you can stick out with. Whether that be confidence or shyness.”
What does this mean for the beauty industry?
We think it’s about Goddamn time. And it seems like the feedback Glow Recipe has had about its "Dew You" campaign has been wholly positive. Many applauded the brand's fresh take on beauty on social media and celebrated its dedication to promoting authentic representation in an industry often critiqued for its exclusivity. But, will other brands follow suit? I think we’ll have to wait and see — but it’s not unrealistic.
The unique approach Glow Recipe took with its recent "Dew You" campaign is likely to have some sort of ripple effect throughout the beauty industry anyway. Anonymous casting is a direct challenge to traditional beauty standards and stereotypes that have, for a long time, been at the forefront of most beauty campaigns. By focusing on inner beauty, brands can push forward a more inclusive and diverse representation that truly reflects society.
Anonymous casting also removes inherent biases, ensuring that models aren't selected based on looks alone. This shift promotes authenticity and might be the nudge the industry needs to pivot toward a more holistic view of beauty. Basically, there’s a lot right when it comes to anonymous casting.
If more brands follow in the footsteps of Glow Recipe, the beauty industry could see a transformation where the narrative around beauty changes, becoming more diverse and inclusive. These changes will not only boost confidence among consumers but will also redefine societal perceptions of beauty.
WHATS UP NEXT …
