The first [official] unretouched makeup ad!

In a world dominated by completely random acts attracting unprecedented amounts of free publicity via the inter-webs (for example, please consider that phenom Justin Beiber was discovered on YouTube), every company is vying for the popularity (and financial gain) that comes with a marketing campaign going "viral". 

Despite the many failed attempts, it is nice to see established companies attempting to actually produce "viral" material that is beneficial and relevant to their brand, and the masses.

As our lives become more and more computerized, there are pros-- increased ease for keeping in touch with people, getting news, making on the spot restaurant decisions, etc., ... and there are cons. 

With the proliferation of HD televisions, and rampantly air-brushed magazine and beauty ads, the expectation for a perfect appearance has increased to unattainable proportions. An increase in self-consciousness about one's appearance, combined with standards that can never be met (no normal person walks out of their house looking as perfectly air-brushed, styled, and coiffed as the Kardashian clan would make it appear), means a verified financial boon for the beauty industry: demand keeps increasing and can never fully be sated. 

It is in this vein that Makeup Forever's new campaign is so refreshing; even though the model is undoubtedly a natural beauty, a notary has certified that the ad below has NOT been retouched at all.

Despite the beauty/perfection of the model's face, look at the arm holding the camera-- that skin actually looks real?! And under her eyes? Faint traces of dark-circles can still be detected... It is so nice though, to look at a make-up ad, and see results that you could actually be able to recreate on your own face. (A stark contrast to the "Evolution of Beauty" video that Dove soap created a few years ago, which documented the photo-shopping that takes place to turn an ordinary girl into a billboard model-- before and after images shown at the top left of this article.)

It's a brilliant concept, and one that Makeup For Ever is surely hoping will go "viral". Promoting the results a real person can achieve is an ideal way of introducing Makeup For Ever's new line of HD Invisible Cover Foundation, which is meant to emphasize that women can look flawless without digital enhancements... they just need to use this foundation.

Another plus of a world filled with Social Media is that companies are being forced to be more transparent and honest with consumers. As this goes on, hopefully beauty expectations can come back down to a level that is realistic. Makeup For Ever received wonderful praise for this campaign, and hopefully other makeup companies will follow suit to prove what their products can actually do.

Have you noticed any other campaigns that celebrate real, natural appearances? If so, which ones? (I'm also partial to Levi's "All asses were not created equal" campaign...)