Perfect pictures on social media are unlikely to be real due to digital wizardry. Some people dare not reveal their authentic selves and depend on filters and apps to present ideal images.
Unrealistic beauty standards lead to a loss of self-confidence, but two new campaigns by Merz Aesthetics empower people to shine in their own way.
Held recently in Seoul at Floating Island Convention Hall, the launch also unveiled three Ultherapy brand ambassadors who front the first campaign "See My Skin, Lift My Way".
Veteran actress Kim Ha-neul and actress-author Jeon So-min join dashing actor Lee Min-ho in amplifying the message of embracing individuality via social media platforms and public appearances.
"Nobody understands the pressure of conforming to beauty standards better than celebrities. Staying confident and embracing your unique self can be difficult when you live in the spotlight. We hope that their stories of overcoming these societal pressures to embrace their individuality and uniqueness inspire people to do the same," said Lawrence Siow, president of Merz Aesthetics Asia Pacific.
The US FDA-cleared Ultherapy is a non-invasive procedure that delivers the right amount of heat energy at the right depths of the skin.
Using micro-focused ultrasound energy with real-time visualisation allows seeing the skin layers and customising the treatment plan to address signs of ageing caused by declining collagen and elastin.
Promoting the production of structural proteins will hence knock off the years for a more youthful-looking appearance.
The "See My Skin, Lift My Way" campaign is named to reflect how Ultherapy is delivered by aesthetic physicians to meet each patient's specific need, with minimal to no downtime.
"It's more than just skin tightening and lifting. The campaign is about looking deeper to better understand people, their needs and create hyper-personalised solutions for each and every individual. Increasingly, people feel pressured to conform to society's definition of beauty. Ultherapy challenges this by celebrating individuals and providing an accessible way to reveal their unique qualities," said Sylvia Lee, vice-president of marketing Merz Aesthetics Asia Pacific.
The medical aesthetics company is a part of the Merz Group, which was founded in 1908 in Frankfurt, Germany.
Headquartered in Raleigh, North Carolina in the US, Merz Aesthetics fuels confidence through Ultherapy as well as various injectables and skincare treatments.
According to the Social Media's Influence on Confidence in APAC Consumer Study, 93% of people surveyed believed that aesthetic treatments would help them feel more confident.
Commissioned by Merz Aesthetics this year, the study involves over 4,000 consumers and 380 healthcare professionals across Australia, Hong Kong, Indonesia, the Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan and Thailand.
The impact on self-perception was significant as 56% of the respondents were not confident enough to post unedited photos on social media, and 73% were worried that others would feel negatively towards them if they saw their unedited photos.
Additionally, 80% of people surveyed believed that editing photos led to unrealistic and unachievable beauty standards, yet 82% still posted edited photos of themselves on social media.
Another interesting finding is that 20 minutes is spent editing each photo before uploading it.
The second "Confidence Beyond The Frame" campaign encourages people to step out of societal beauty ideals and embark on a self-enhancement journey to be the best version of themselves.
"We believe that people are their best selves when they feel confident. Confidence can be achieved by embracing both what's on the inside and outside, and this cannot be defined or captured by an image within a single frame," said Lee.
The Confidence Beyond The Frame campaign is a continuation of the Merz Aesthetics Serendipity Journey (MASJ), launched in 2018.
Members of the MASJ Squad share stories of overcoming personal struggles and breaking free from society's standards of perfection, inspiring others to create their own definitions of beauty.
