Body Image - Publications - Faculty & Research

September 2019 (Revised June 2021)
Case

Dove and Real Beauty: Building a Brand with Purpose

By: Mark R. Kramer, Myriam Sidibe and Gunjan Veda

Unilever subsidiary Dove soap became a "brand with a purpose" and created shared value when the company decided to launch a Campaign for Real Beauty to combat the artificial media-driven stereotype of female beauty that causes appearance anxiety in women and girls... View Details

Keywords: Stereotype; Body Image; Female; Self-Esteem; Brands and Branding; Mission and Purpose; Advertising Campaigns; Gender; Resource Allocation

Citation

Educators

Purchase

20 Jun 2005
Research & Ideas

Creating a Positive Professional Image

she says. "It is only wise to add your voice in framing others' theories about who you are and what you can accomplish." There are plenty of books telling you how to "dress for success" and control your body language.... View Details

Keywords: by Mallory Stark

2025
Article

Humor as a Window into Generative AI Bias

By: Roger Samure, Julian De Freitas and Stefano Puntoni

A preregistered audit of 600 images by generative AI across 150 different prompts explores the link between humor and discrimination in consumer-facing AI solutions. When ChatGPT updates images to make them “funnier”, the prevalence of stereotyped groups changes. While... View Details

Keywords: AI and Machine Learning; Demographics; Prejudice and Bias

Citation

Read Now

21 Nov 2023
Op-Ed

The Beauty Industry: Products for a Healthy Glow or a Compact for Harm?

In my recently published book Deeply Responsible Business, I write about business leaders since the 19th century who have acted responsibly, often by putting the welfare of their communities above the idea of maximizing profits. I make a sharp distinction between... View Details

Keywords: by Geoffrey Jones; Beauty & Cosmetics

14 May 2020
Research & Ideas

What Leaders Can Do to Fight the COVID Fog

what the human body needs physically and mentally to respond to these challenges. Think of these as your new toolkit for high performance in a business world turned upside down. Let’s start with some executives’ comments from the survey,... View Details

Keywords: by Boris Groysberg and Robin Abrahams

28 Jul 2009
First Look

First Look: July 28

fashion company competing in a variety of unconventional ways, many "experience economy" related. Moods fronts their brand with the "boy band" images of its three founders and designs eccentric features into their... View Details

Keywords: Martha Lagace

16 Feb 2024
Research & Ideas

Is Your Workplace Biased Against Introverts?

they show passion through higher quality of work and in conveying positive emotions, and less frequently through body language and voice, immersion, social interactions, and quantity of work. The results of the study indicate that... View Details

Keywords: by Ben Rand

09 Feb 2024
HBS Case

Slim Chance: Drugs Will Reshape the Weight Loss Industry, But Habit Change Might Be Elusive

you’re also losing muscle. You do not want to lose muscle. They’re not a cure. They work on the brain. They suppress the appetite. But 10 years later, what will happen to the brain and other body parts? They can’t predict that today.... View Details

Keywords: by Lane Lambert; Health; Pharmaceutical

19 Apr 2010
Research & Ideas

The History of Beauty

different beauty ideals. L'Oréal, for example, primarily sold French brands before the 1990s. During that decade it purchased American brands such as Maybelline, Redken, and Kiehl's and globalized them. And over the last decade it has acquired Shu Uemura in Japan,... View Details

Keywords: by Sean Silverthorne; Beauty & Cosmetics

18 Sep 2017
Research & Ideas

'Likes' Lead to Nothing—and Other Hard-Learned Lessons of Social Media Marketing

Gupta. Brands should instead look to create a conversation with a broader message that connects with consumers. For instance, Dove’s Real Beauty campaign wasn’t focused merely on the benefits of a bar of soap, but tapped into the deeper themes of View Details

Keywords: by Dina Gerdeman; Advertising; Technology

06 Sep 2004
Research & Ideas

The Innovator’s Battle Plan

seem to want. For example, Kodak first began to sense that digital imaging might pose a threat to its core business in the mid-1990s. It invested more than $2 billion in research and development. However, it framed the challenge as,... View Details

Keywords: by Clayton M. Christensen, Scott D. Anthony & Erik A. Roth

15 Apr 2002
Research & Ideas

In the Virtual Dressing Room Returns Are A Real Problem

an apparel purchase. Apparel purchasing decisions are closely linked to individuals' feelings about themselves: their body image and the image they wish to project. Clothing is... View Details

Keywords: by Jan Hammond & Kristin Kohler; Apparel & Accessories; Fashion; Consumer Products; Manufacturing; Retail

30 Dec 2013
Research & Ideas

Most Popular Articles of 2013

presentation or job interview? Holding one's body in "high-power" poses for short time periods can summon an extra surge of power and sense of well-being when it's needed, according to Amy J.C. Cuddy. Why Unqualified Candidates... View Details

Keywords: by Staff

11 Feb 2013
Research & Ideas

Neuroeconomics: Eyes, Brain, Business

the picture actually depicted human or non-human body parts. In short, noses and skin were not good indicators of life. Mouths scored slightly higher as the pictures grew progressively human. But in looking at View Details

Keywords: by Carmen Nobel

08 Oct 2007
Research & Ideas

Management Education’s Unanswered Questions

a Corporate Savior: The Irrational Quest for Charismatic CEOs. I focused on understanding the processes by which CEOs were selected—in particular the phenomenon of outsider CEO succession. In the conclusion I wrote a bit about the role of business schools in... View Details

Keywords: by Martha Lagace; Education

22 Feb 2011
Research & Ideas

Most Popular Articles, Papers of the Decade

HBS Working Knowledge readers want it all, judging by our all-time most popular articles. Here you'll find stories on everything from maintaining a professional image to writing a business plan, from how to market on social media to why... View Details

Keywords: by Sean Silverthorne

20 Dec 2016
Research & Ideas

The 10 Most Popular 'Cold Call' Podcasts

voters cold despite his eminent qualifications. With the help of KNP Communications, Silver is forced to watch himself at the podium and makes some profound discoveries. Professor Amy Cuddy delves into this fascinating case and the importance of View Details

Keywords: Re: Multiple Faculty

07 Oct 2024
Research & Ideas

Election 2024: Why Demographics Won't Predict the Next President

forecasters to use caution with one large body of data: past demographic voting trends. Analyzing census figures and US presidential and Congressional election results since 1952, researchers find that demographic factors considered... View Details

Keywords: by Jay Fitzgerald

06 Aug 2014
What Do You Think?

What Is Warren Bennis’s Legacy?

known for his work in the field of leadership, died last week. He left behind a large body of stimulating writing and practice in his chosen field. To me he was a restless person with a large sense of humor. Although I didn't know him... View Details

Keywords: by James Heskett; Education

20 Oct 2009
First Look

First Look: October 20

a diverse body of stakeholders and incorporate their interests and ideas. However, this also introduces many new challenges. The author identifies key properties that such networking mechanisms must satisfy if they are to succeed. He... View Details