Merz Aesthetics, a global leader in medical aesthetics of the global Merz Pharma Group, recently launched its latest campaign, the Merz Aesthetics Serendipity Journey (MASJ). The MASJ will feature authentic personal stories from a diverse group of 11 prominent women from 11 different Asia Pacific countries (known as the MASJ Squad) in hopes to help people focus positively on their favorite features and minimize self-limiting beliefs that hinder them from reaching their fullest potential. It also aims to start a conversation that addresses the stigma attached to the practice of undergoing medical aesthetics treatments, by inspiring a shift in mindset that such treatments are not that different from other ways of enhancing one’s beauty such as makeup, hair, fashion styling and exercise.
The MASJ Squad includes popular YouTube influencers, actresses, authors, entrepreneurs, and reality TV stars that have accepted the challenge to begin a self-discovery journey and will share how they have overcome personal struggles in their lives and learned to embrace their individuality without conforming to society’s standards of perfection or beauty.
● Almiranti Fira, Indonesia
● Bonnie Chu, Hong Kong
● Cat Arambulo-Antonio, Philippines
● Emily Quak, Malaysia
● “Guitar” PATINYA, Thailand
● Hana Giang Anh, Vietnam
● “Min Garden” Min Jeongwon, South Korea
● Nitibha Kaul, India
● Sarah Roza, Australia
● Thien Qi Yun, Singapore
● “Queen” Chen Yi-Li, Taiwan
Here’s what our Malaysian Beauty Influencer, Emily Quak has to say about her self-discovery journey.
Emily Quak, radio DJ at MIX FM and Youtube personality, didn’t plan on finding a place in beauty as a career. A degree in law and a good job at a firm in Melbourne would have been considered a successful career move for most people. However, Emily soon discovered that her real passion was not in law, but in beauty. “While practising law, I discovered beauty, blogging and Youtube-ing, and knew I found what I loved. I quit a promising, lucrative career in law to go into something where, basically, you have to hustle by yourself or nothing is going to come from it”.
For Emily, beauty is authenticity. “It’s the way you pull off being you daily. That’s what beauty is!” As part of the MASJ Squad, she is able to use her love of beauty and her own serendipitous story to connect positively with her followers and have a continuing conversation on how beauty can impact confidence and the many available options for enhancing the features people love about themselves. “I am very very big on self-confidence and your own body image. A lot of people post a lot of horrible things online now and I don’t think that’s right. People say, “You’re too skinny and if you gain some weight, you’re too fat. Without makeup, you’re too ugly; with makeup, too fake.” What I’m trying to do through my posts and through the things that I say to the people who message me is ‘do what makes you happy’.”
While self-confidence levels of women and men in Asia Pacific have improved over the last decade, the results from a recent Merz Aesthetics APAC Consumer Study: ‘Discovering The Truth About Beauty and Self-Confidence’ still show a lower-than-expected level of self-confidence and that most women and men are still finding it difficult to pay themselves a compliment. This consumer market study was conducted by Merz Aesthetics in partnership with Frost & Sullivan across 11 Asia Pacific countries (Australia, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam) and included 3,210 women & men from the ages of 21 to 55 years old.
The Merz Aesthetics 2018 APAC Consumer Study: ‘Discovering The Truth About Beauty and Self-Confidence’ included the below key findings:
- 70% of respondents across 11 countries in Asia Pacific lack self-confidence and often measure themselves against others; LC (Less confident individual), while the rest 30% of respondents are confident and feel good about themselves; C (Confident individuals) N=3,210(C + LC)
- 50% of these less-confident individuals find it difficult to associate themselves as being beautiful/good-looking due to various reasons such as cultural norms, societal beauty standards. N=2,250(LC)
- 85% of confident individuals are not afraid to say they are physically beautiful/good-looking and believe that beauty and self-confidence are positively related. They feel more confident when they make an effort to look their best and caring for their physical appearance. N=960(C)
- 70% of respondents are highly proactive about making an effort to maintain and enhance their natural beauty adopting a healthy diet, exercise, and medical aesthetic treatments. N=3,210(C + LC)
- 60% of respondents are open to non- and minimally-invasive medical aesthetic treatments to boost their self-image and confidence. N=3,210 (C + LC)
- 90% of respondents who are open to aesthetic treatments to enhance and maintain their physical appearance indicated these initiatives as contributing to greater self-confidence and attractiveness. N=1,539(C + LC)
- 70% of confident individuals perceive that physical enhancement and aesthetic treatments as norms today and consider it acceptable to undergo these aesthetic treatments to boost self-confidence and enrich their quality of life. N=960(C)
As part of the Merz Aesthetics Serendipity Journey campaign, Merz Aesthetics is launching a new website, www.myserendipityjourney.com which will be available in English, Thai, Korean and Traditional Chinese versions. This interactive website will feature thought-provoking content and informative beauty articles, as well as videos and personal stories of each Serendipity Squad member. Each Serendipity Squad member will also be documenting their personal experiences and campaign journey over the next twelve months on their social media platforms – Instagram, Facebook and YouTube. In addition, this digital platform will offer consumers information and access to a group of beauty professionals including certified/licensed local medical aesthetics service providers.
Read also: Dove’s #BeautyUnitesUs Campaign Showcases Diverse Malaysian Beauty
