Ethnography in China
researching Beauty Culture

Company

Ogilvy Unilever

Role

Qual Research

Ethnography in China
researching Beauty Culture

Company

Ogilvy Unilever

Role

Qual Research

Ethnography in China
researching Beauty Culture

Company

Ogilvy Unilever

Role

Qual Research

Ethnography in China
researching Beauty Culture

Company

Ogilvy Unilever

Role

Qual Research

Ethnography in China
researching Beauty Culture

Company

Ogilvy Unilever

Role

Qual Research

Objective

How do Chinese women define beauty?

How's China's perceptions towards beauty changed over the years?

How does it differ across generations?


In 2019, Dove briefed Ogilvy to research China's beauty culture;

it became Ogilvy's first-ever 2-week ethnographic expedition in China.

So, how can we…
conduct ethnography in China
that Dove can trust?

So, how can we…
conduct ethnography in China that Dove can trust?


Research
Methodology

Research Methodology

Research
Methodology

Under Sandy's guidance, we embraced reflexivity in our research, interrogating our Western biases and assumptions as we delved into the realm of Eastern beauty.


This led us to abandon rigid topic guides, opting instead for adaptive approaches that allowed us to empathetically navigate the organic flow of conversation and gain deeper insights.

Under Sandy's guidance, we embraced reflexivity in our research, interrogating our Western biases and assumptions as we delved into the realm of Eastern beauty.


This led us to abandon rigid topic guides, opting instead for adaptive approaches that allowed us to empathetically navigate the organic flow of conversation and gain deeper insights.

Under Sandy's guidance, we embraced reflexivity in our research, interrogating our Western biases and assumptions as we delved into the realm of Eastern beauty.


This led us to abandon rigid topic guides, opting instead for adaptive approaches that allowed us to empathetically navigate the organic flow of conversation and gain deeper insights.

...to practice the art of ethnography and how it differs to typical focus group research

Ethnography Training

...to plan the types of women we were going to speak to and why

Planning Conversations

...to understand China's history and cultural context around beauty

Literature Reviews

We spoke with 20-year-old entrepreneurs, dance teachers, Tai Chi masters, tea masters, tattoo artists, KOLS (influencers), women who never want children, and women who couldn’t wait. We had conversations that lasted up to 4 hours long, uncovering insights traditional user research would have never been able to reach.

We spoke with 20-year-old entrepreneurs, dance teachers, Tai Chi masters, tea masters, tattoo artists, KOLS (influencers), women who never want children, and women who couldn’t wait. We had conversations that lasted up to 4 hours long, uncovering insights traditional user research would have never been able to reach.

We spoke with 20-year-old entrepreneurs, dance teachers, Tai Chi masters, tea masters, tattoo artists, KOLS (influencers), women who never want children, and women who couldn’t wait. We had conversations that lasted up to 4 hours long, uncovering insights traditional user research would have never been able to reach.

Filming
Ethnography

Filming
Ethnography

Filming
Ethnography

Analysing our Findings

Analysing our Findings

Working with China's strategy team, we spent hours interpreting and analysing our insights, and categorised our insights under core needs: Beauty, Feminism, Sisterhood, Positivity, and Self-Esteem. Due to confidentiality, I cannot disclose our findings.

Working with China's strategy team, we spent hours interpreting and analysing our insights, and categorised our insights under core needs: Beauty, Feminism, Sisterhood, Positivity, and Self-Esteem. Due to confidentiality, I cannot disclose our findings.

Desired Outcome

Desired Outcome

Easy to navigate
between Insights

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+

+

Videos that bring
Insights to Life

Videos that bring Insights to Life

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Confidence in
Research Repository

An online
Research Repository

Hypothesis: An online research repository with video-snippets of conversations is more trustworthy and engaging

Hypothesis: Incorporating video snippets of actual conversations into a research repository will significantly increase its trustworthiness and user engagement.

Designing Insight Repository Website

Designing Insight Repository Website

Prototype

Prototype

Our research was going to be seen by the CEO of Dove. This is where I prototyped the research repository.

Our research was going to be seen by the CEO of Dove. This is where I prototyped the research repository.

Wordpress Design

Wordpress Design

I used Wordpress to bring the concept to life.

I used Wordpress to bring the concept to life.

Video Trailer

The website was successfully delivered to the Dove team, and the Ogilvy strategy team across China and UK.

This was Ogilvy’s first on-the-ground research expedition in China!

The website was successfully delivered to the Dove team, and the Ogilvy strategy team across China and UK.

This was Ogilvy’s first on-the-ground research expedition in China!

Learnings

Learnings

Learnings

Unlike traditional approaches like User Interviews, I learnt that ethnography and the practice of reflexivity allows us to explore diverse perspectives beyond a fixed topic guide and Western biases.

Unlike traditional approaches like User Interviews, I learnt that ethnography and the practice of reflexivity allows us to explore diverse perspectives beyond a fixed topic guide and Western biases.

Unlike traditional approaches like User Interviews, I learnt that ethnography and the practice of reflexivity allows us to explore diverse perspectives beyond a fixed topic guide and Western biases.