Personal shoppers and pampering top South Africans' beauty wish listOver two thirds of all South Africans say that beauty is essentially about non-physical attributes but this does not mean that they don't have plans to improve their looks. Top of their list would be personal shoppers and self-indulgent treatments, according to a recent global study on beauty conducted by Synovate. Synovate tackled a range of beauty issues in a global survey of over 7,000 people in nine markets - South Africa, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Korea, India, Singapore, Spain and the United States. The survey asked people to spill their beauty secrets... how do people define beauty? Where do people from different cultures see themselves on the beauty scale? And would they do anything to change their looks? The Synovate survey picked up some intriguing attitudes across cultures and across gender. So how did South Africa compare?
Beauty is as beauty doesWhile much of the survey was about beauty on the outside, Synovate started by asking respondents to define beauty, with two thirds of all people choosing a definition about something other than appearance. Overall, 35% attribute beauty to 'what's on the inside' and another 32% say it's all about confidence. South Africans and Bulgarians (both 43%) shared the highest scores for the altruistic view that beauty is on the inside. Don't go changingNot everyone can actually be beautiful but culture, gender and confidence influence whether you think you are. Synovate asked respondents to place themselves on the beauty continuum, anywhere from 'I am beautiful and do not need to change anything about the way I look' through to 'I do not think I am beautiful or attractive and want to change the way I look'. South Africans (32%) were most likely to think that they were beautiful and did not need to change a thing, followed by Indians (24%). However, the survey also gave the option of 'I think I am beautiful but there's always room for improvement' and when added together, it seems that South Africans (65%) have a better beauty image than any of the other countries surveyed! Honore Gasa, Client Services Director (FMCG) for Synovate in South Africa attributed this to the African ideal of beauty. "We have just as many images of beauty around us in South Africa as any other country. But they are diverse and reflect a wide variety of beauty ideals. The acceptance of this diversity and a multi-dimensional interpretation of beauty is why South Africans are able to think of themselves as beautiful and work with what they have." It's a kind of magicNearly half of all people think beauty advertisements make women feel inadequate; and 28% agreed beauty advertisements do the same for men, according to the survey. In South Africa, 56% of women agreed that beauty advertisements affected their self esteem, with 34% of men also agreeing with this. So where does all this leave beauty marketers? Well, the good news for marketers is that there is a world of believers out there. Two thirds of all people think facial or beauty products make a person more attractive; and 72% of women around the globe believe this is the case. Thirty-eight percent (38%) of South Africans said that if money were not an issue, they would buy expensive, branded facial and beauty product to improve their appearance. So clearly there is still a significant percentage of South Africans who believe in the belief these products would work their magic. Putting your money where your mouth is An overall 19% of respondents across the globe would consider this more radical beauty intervention - 12% of men and a quarter of all women said they would have cosmetic or plastic surgery if they could. Compared to the rest of the markets surveyed, only 15% of South Africans said that they would opt for plastic surgery. In nearly every market, the number of women who would yield to the knife or needle was more than double the number of men. The only exception to this was India where very few people of either gender would make a date with their surgeon. In other would-if-they-could findings, 42% of all Koreans would sign up for skin whitening products (61% of Korean women) and only 7% of Spaniards think these products would improve their looks. In an inverse finding, 41% of our Spanish respondents would use a tanning salon (half of all women) but only 14% of Koreans would. Compared to the rest of the world, South Africans were most likely to try a personal shopping service to improve clothes or style at 59%. Intriguingly, men in both South Africa and India were just as likely (if not more likely) to think this service would make a difference. The survey also found that, even if money were no object, there are still three in ten people comfortable enough with their beauty (within or without, or both) to do nothing at all... no extra products, no spa treatments, no tanning, no skin whitening or surgery. And that's a beautiful thought. About the Synovate global beauty surveySynovate spoke with over 7,000 adult consumers in nine markets around the world - Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, India, Korea, Singapore, South Africa, Spain and the United States of America. The study was conducted in May 2008 using online, telephone and face-to-face methodologies. CURIOSITIES
About SynovateSynovate, the market research arm of Aegis Group plc, generates consumer insights that drive competitive marketing solutions. The network provides clients with cohesive global support and a comprehensive suite of research solutions. Synovate employs over 6,000 staff in 121 cities across 63 countries. More information on Synovate can be found at www.synovate.com and www.synovate.com/southafrica.
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