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Friday 5
Never your fault
6 December, 2024
This week marks International Anti-Street Harassment Week – yes, another addition to the ever-growing calendar of awareness events. But amidst the noise, we think one campaign stands out: L’Oréal Paris’s “Never Your Fault”.
Launching in a week where harassment headlines dominate – from allegations of inappropriate sexual behaviour against Greg Wallace, to legislative changes aimed at protecting stalking victims – this campaign couldn’t be more timely.
An international Ipsos Mori survey also reveals the sobering reality: 80% of women have experienced sexual harassment in public spaces, and 60% have altered their clothing or appearance to avoid such encounters. These figures highlight an urgent need for change, not just in behaviour, but also in mindset. Misconceptions persist, and many women internalise blame for harassment that is never their fault.
Since 2020, L’Oréal Paris has worked with the NGO Right to Be on Stand Up Against Street Harassment, a global programme aimed at tackling this issue head-on. The initiative has raised awareness and equipped people with practical tools to respond safely when witnessing or experiencing harassment – over 2.5 million people have now been trained in 44 countries.
L’Oréal Paris’s latest campaign, “Never Your Fault” builds on this with a powerful new video focused around the message that women have the right to live freely, authentically, and without fear. It reinforces L’Oreal’s mission to empower women and challenge harmful narratives (e.g. “She thinks her lipstick is why he whistled at her.”)
It’s a campaign with credibility that makes sense for both the brand, its products and its consumers.
Of course addressing issues such as this will never be solved by a single campaign, but we believe brands can play an important role in changing culture and behaviour, and this is a nice example of how to do it.
By Charlotte Pounder