Femwashing or Femvertising? A Look at Advertising Authenticity

Abstract

Femvertising is a strategy that has become a trend in advertising campaigns. Femwashing is the lack of authenticity perceived by the spectator for not complying with the pillars an authentic femvertising campaign must have. Femwashing has also been called fake activism. This study analyzes the authenticity of Avon's #SuperAPruebaDeTodo spots. The paradigm and design are phenomenological. Through a qualitative methodology, the perception of fourteen university students in the last terms of the Human Medicine Program at Universidad de San Martín de Porres is analyzed through semi-structured interviews. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the data to identify, record and examine patterns and simplify them in a categoric and sub-categorical system and other thematic areas. As a result, it was found that Avon spots are unauthentic and are considered femwashing because some of the perceived advertising elements have little relation to the pillars of authentic femvertising.