Marketing in the Age of Unreal: Navigating the New Beauty Divide
How do you think beauty brands can strike the right balance between innovation and authenticity in today’s digital age?
Lavina Suthenthiran
4/16/20251 min read


A recent Vogue Business article highlights a growing divide in consumer expectations: while some embrace advanced beauty technologies like AI-driven skincare and genetic treatments, others express concern over increasingly unattainable beauty ideals.
It’s a stark reminder that we’ve entered a whole new realm of unreal. Where the conversation once centered around Photoshop, filters, and digital touch-ups, today we’re facing a future shaped by biotechnology, artificial intelligence, and algorithmically enhanced perfection. The pressure on consumers—and the responsibility on marketers—has never been greater.
As beauty standards evolve, marketers face the challenge of balancing aspirational imagery with authentic, inclusive representation.
Strategies that blend influencer marketing, user-generated content, and relatable storytelling are proving effective in building trust and engagement in this shifting landscape. But the question remains:
How do you think beauty brands can strike the right balance between innovation and authenticity in today’s digital age?