![](https://framerusercontent.com/images/MVVwIo8e6ABQGdsMUgOkGILcZI.png?scale-down-to=2048)
Ethnography in China
researching Beauty Culture
Company
Ogilvy Unilever
Role
Qual Research
![](https://framerusercontent.com/images/MVVwIo8e6ABQGdsMUgOkGILcZI.png?scale-down-to=2048)
Ethnography in China
researching Beauty Culture
Company
Ogilvy Unilever
Role
Qual Research
![](https://framerusercontent.com/images/MVVwIo8e6ABQGdsMUgOkGILcZI.png?scale-down-to=2048)
Ethnography in China
researching Beauty Culture
Company
Ogilvy Unilever
Role
Qual Research
![](https://framerusercontent.com/images/MVVwIo8e6ABQGdsMUgOkGILcZI.png?scale-down-to=2048)
Ethnography in China
researching Beauty Culture
Company
Ogilvy Unilever
Role
Qual Research
![](https://framerusercontent.com/images/MVVwIo8e6ABQGdsMUgOkGILcZI.png?scale-down-to=2048)
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?
![](https://framerusercontent.com/images/pbUO6CtAk3Bl9RyoHieaF4wAk.png)
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.
![](https://framerusercontent.com/images/tnUPGfddclxZYwNKdnuOz7Lxg.png)
...to practice the art of ethnography and how it differs to typical focus group research
Ethnography Training
![](https://framerusercontent.com/images/wJQv8t78eTsPlSKWRWQjNIeUfYo.png)
...to plan the types of women we were going to speak to and why
Planning Conversations
![](https://framerusercontent.com/images/PVi9I0cpOhR9avEwhPFVsSr0s.jpeg)
...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
![](https://framerusercontent.com/images/t9BkNhnVoPXHuqQbEb9aAUhbIc.gif)
![](https://framerusercontent.com/images/t9BkNhnVoPXHuqQbEb9aAUhbIc.gif)
![](https://framerusercontent.com/images/t9BkNhnVoPXHuqQbEb9aAUhbIc.gif)
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![](https://framerusercontent.com/images/t9BkNhnVoPXHuqQbEb9aAUhbIc.gif)
![](https://framerusercontent.com/images/pbUO6CtAk3Bl9RyoHieaF4wAk.png)
Analysing our Findings
Analysing our Findings
![](https://framerusercontent.com/images/rv3gM65sflBUvf08BQs1GRTy4b4.gif)
![](https://framerusercontent.com/images/rv3gM65sflBUvf08BQs1GRTy4b4.gif)
![](https://framerusercontent.com/images/rv3gM65sflBUvf08BQs1GRTy4b4.gif)
![](https://framerusercontent.com/images/rv3gM65sflBUvf08BQs1GRTy4b4.gif)
![](https://framerusercontent.com/images/rv3gM65sflBUvf08BQs1GRTy4b4.gif)
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.
![](https://framerusercontent.com/images/pbUO6CtAk3Bl9RyoHieaF4wAk.png)
Desired Outcome
Desired Outcome
Easy to navigate
between Insights
+
+
+
Videos that bring
Insights to Life
Videos that bring Insights to Life
=
=
=
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
![](https://framerusercontent.com/images/U4La0KzRa2FxL6yKqdareF4Wg8.gif)
![](https://framerusercontent.com/images/U4La0KzRa2FxL6yKqdareF4Wg8.gif)
![](https://framerusercontent.com/images/U4La0KzRa2FxL6yKqdareF4Wg8.gif)
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.
![](https://framerusercontent.com/images/6j5ep4EcusroT3Mb5t1z8lRNdu8.gif)
![](https://framerusercontent.com/images/6j5ep4EcusroT3Mb5t1z8lRNdu8.gif)
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![](https://framerusercontent.com/images/6j5ep4EcusroT3Mb5t1z8lRNdu8.gif)
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![](https://framerusercontent.com/images/pbUO6CtAk3Bl9RyoHieaF4wAk.png)
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!
![](https://framerusercontent.com/images/Rvy6Cv1TwNp7aNBNIQHNPzDCi8.png)
![](https://framerusercontent.com/images/Rvy6Cv1TwNp7aNBNIQHNPzDCi8.png)
![](https://framerusercontent.com/images/Rvy6Cv1TwNp7aNBNIQHNPzDCi8.png)
![](https://framerusercontent.com/images/Rvy6Cv1TwNp7aNBNIQHNPzDCi8.png)
![](https://framerusercontent.com/images/Rvy6Cv1TwNp7aNBNIQHNPzDCi8.png)
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.