Angela Qin's Blog

Last week we talked about positioning and I wanted to examine how a company “Lush Cosmetics”  tries to market themself with competitors. Lush is a premium cosmetics line started in 1995 and orginated in the UK.

The points of parity

• -a line of bath/shower products
• -as well as some beauty products

Other companies in this market include The Body Shop, Bath and Body Works, The Face Shop, Fruits&Passion

To distinguish themselves, here are their points of difference.

• -ALL handmade
• -against animal testing, tested on human volunteers
• -all products are vegetarian
• -70% of products are without harmful preservatives

These POD’s make LUSH a premium brand for body care. I think they did a great job positioning themselves as the no.1 handmade organic cosmetics line. When I think about splurging for a bath bomb and doing a good deed, I would think to shop at Lush.

Would you be willing to pay the high prices for their ethical actions?

P.S. Unrelated to business but if you get a chance, try their comforter bubble bar, yummy yummy yummy shower gel, and heavanilli massage bar.

I have one more post relating to ethics (last one I promise, I just find it really interesting!)

There’s this ad by Maybelline for their XXL Pro 24hr Bold mascara.

The model’s lashes are extremely long and intensely black. Compared to this other Maybelline makeup ad where the model has on mascara on her own natural lashes.

I think it’s unethical to put fake lashes inserts and not warn the consumer. The ad also uses photoshop but the current industry all use digital enhancement so it’s still somewhat ethical. The second ad is for foundations but the model is not wearing fake skin. Although the ad is photoshopped, it’s still some what real and portrays the products.

As a consumer, I would be drawn to the lashes in this ad. I would want to go into the drugstore and buy this mascara to achieve that same look with my lashes. However, I would be disappointed with the results because the ad used false lashes, a whole makeup team and digital enhancement to produce that final image.

Even though I know my lashes will not end up like the model’s, I would still be tempted to try out the product and see if it works.

If the ad posted a warning on the bottom, the ad would not be unethical. But currently all it says is “Emily is wearing …. Mascara” so it gives a false impression that this mascara can make natural lashes look like the model’s.

Last class we touched on a news article in Metro Vancouver about a bartender working in the Shark Club complaining about the provocative dress code- short skirts, revealing tops and high-heeled shoes. I spoke up about it in class but I wanted to read more about the article and see what it’s all about.

My overall opinion: Every job has a certain “norm”. If you want to be a bartender, there are certain standards that everyone expects. The role of a bartender is to attract costumers to the restaurant so looking  sexy and attractive is part of your responsibility. Although I disagree that they have to wear “form-fitting” clothes, having a presentable wardrobe should be part of your role.

The version I read is here: http://www.vancouversun.com/about-vancouver-sun/Shark+Club+bartender+alleges+discrimination+over+dress+code/3529326/story.html

The introduction states “Provocative clothing has become a social norm and attractive servers wearing skimpy outfits are commonplace in many sports bars and restaurants.” I don’t think there’s anything wrong  with that. People go out to bars and restaurants to relax, and having attractive servers is part of the ambiance.

Later on in the article MacGregor says “it is discriminatory to ask a woman to wear makeup when there is no such requirement for men.”  This is a little ridiculous in the sense that men in society don’t normally wear makeup. A large majority of woman wear makeup on a daily basis just to enhance their natural beauty. Looking put together will help the bartender earn more tips for him or herself, so it should be in their best interest to look good anyways.

People in different professions have to dress according to standards. When managers go to business meetings they have to wear a suit. When nurses work in the hospital they have to wear scrubs. When strippers work in clubs they have to wear minimal clothing. These people don’t necessarily WANT to wear what they have to wear but it’s the social norm. As a bartender, the norm is to be “sexy” and “attractive”. If you don’t agree with uniform standards, there are many other jobs out there. Dishwasher?

This week, our blog post has to relate to business ethics. I found an article on The Globe and Mail that I feel passionately about.

Link: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-investor/women-sue-goldman-claim-discrimination/article1708372/

Basically the article is saying that the Goldman Sachs Group Inc. has been sued for discrimination against women. The complaints said that the corporation “systematically deprived them of pay and promotions available to men”. Women are extremely underrepresented in management.Only 14% of partners are female.

By now in the 21st century, we have fought long enough to receive equality between men and women. This is not a labor intensive job so men should not have an advantage. As long as the women are putting in quality work, they should have an equal opportunity to get promoted in pay as well as position. Recently I read in my OB book that women are actually better leaders. They tend to share the leadership role and as a result of that, the entire team is more satisfied. Men tend to dominate once they receive a leadership role which isn’t always positive for a team.

As a woman in business, I would not want to face this kind of discrimination when I go out there in the workforce. I want to have my work valued and respected. I don’t want people to judge what I do before they even see it just because I’m a woman. Discriminating between genders is definately an ethics issue that needs to be sorted out at Goldman Inc.

Hey everyone, welcome to my blog.

I am  listed under Yue Qin in most of my classes but you can just call me Angela

I’m a local student from Richmond but I am living on residence. Tech house in Vanier.

Totally welcome to any comments or just say hi in class.

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