Us women now live in a generation where beauty is mostly consumed by what the social media say to us. Like every Instagram post and how many followers/likes we have already define who we are. And not to mention the bashers and trolls who constantly throw shady comments against you and your appearance. But personally, I have to remind myself that there’s no way I should entertain these comments and conformity. It’s time to be #StrongerNow.
As a brand that has always worked to make women feel confident about their own version of beauty, Pantene Philippines started the #StrongerNow movement, recognizing that scars are not meant to be hidden—that they are to be worn with pride, especially that they are signs that a woman is braver, more beautiful, and stronger now because of the struggles she overcame. This campaign aims to inspire Filipinas to celebrate every scar, every sweat, every struggle that made them the kind of strong they are now.
#StrongerNow is a collection of stories of struggles and triumphs of Filipinas in all walks of life—from the celebrities we have grown to love to the everyday women we see on our daily commute. It tells stories of real Filipinas whose strength and resilience further let their inner beauty shine. With this campaign, Pantene Philippines also launches the new Pantene Pro-Vitamin series, which features the first-ever vitamin shampoo. It is the answer to the problem of hair breakage due to washing daily. The Pantene Pro-Vitamin series strengthens hair against breakage with every wash, much like the women it supports—stronger with every damage.
Anne Curtis-Smith and Gabbi Garcia, together with Pantene Philippines’ brand ambassadors, Anna Cay, Alodia Gosiengfiao, Chi and Gabs Gibbs, Dennise Lazaro, Jasmine Curtis-Smith, Joyce Pring,
and Say Tioco, are at the forefront of the #StrongerNow movement. They are joined by Kevin Balot, the first Filipina transgender who competed and won Ms. International Queen 2012 and Stacy and Danah Gutierrez of Plump.ph who have been advocating for body positivity for almost a decade now. Each of them has had her own moment of struggle that made her the strong woman that she is and continues to be every day.
ANNE CURTIS-SMITH: CRITICIZED THEN, ON TOP OF HER GAME NOW
We have seen Anne Curtis-Smith grow from a TV sweetheart to a daring movie star with the roles she has taken over the years—she has showcased her excellent entertaining skills through her sold-out concerts, too. What is not familiar to us, however, is the road she paved to break into the showbiz industry. She started as a foreign-looking little girl who could barely speak any Filipino, making it a struggle for her to land crucial speaking roles. There have been times before she skyrocketed to stardom, when she would struggle to lock in a project, making it seem like leaving Australia was not such a good idea after all. Still, Anne continued to clock in hours and fight for what she was passionate about—performing. “It was a slow climb to achieve my dream, but with patience and willingness to learn and speak Tagalog fluently, networks, directors, and producers took notice that I was improving in my craft. From then on, I have never stopped working, and now… I am ANNEstoppable”
GABBI GARCIA: SHY GIRL THEN, GLOBAL ENDORSER NOW
Gabbi Garcia is another woman the country has fallen in love with, especially for breaking through beauty standards with her morena skin that she now wears so proudly, encouraging more Filipinas to do the same. But all this confidence she has now actually started from a deep sense of insecurity, having to get through criticisms for being too “regular-looking.” She would receive negative comments so often because she did not fit people’s idea of what an actress should be. Gabbi shares, “I was so insecure with all the other girls, but I tried to hide that. Although it eventually came to a point where I started to question my worth. Am I worth other people’s time and attention?” She let go of her doubts as she learned to find strength in herself and in others, working towards inspiring the people that look up to her that regardless of your looks and what others think, it is important to stay true to yourself.
DANAH AND STACEY GUTIERREZ
The women behind Plump.ph and twin sisters, Danah and Stacey Gutierrez, were not always the body-positive figures we have grown to admire. They, too, had fought their own battles with body shaming, eating disorders, and insecurities that never seem to end. Since winning over their struggles, they are among the first women to spearhead the body positivity movement in the Philippines with their blog that they started in 2009. Plump.ph aims to challenge the society’s stereotypes on body image by promoting the idea that beauty comes in all shapes and sizes.
Pantene Philippines’ all-star lineup of brand ambassadors also share the stories that made them stronger now. Anna Cay went from vlogger then to app maker now; Alodia Gosiengfiao, hobbyist then to gaming idol now; Chi Gibbs from apprentice then to self-made boss now; Gabs Gibbs from multi-media student then to multi-faceted artist now; Dennise Lazaro from beginner then to national athlete now; Jasmine Curtis-Smith from new comer then to award-winning now; Joyce Pring from student VJ then to certified host now; Say Tioco from self-doubting then to trendsetter now; Kevin Balot from unwelcome then to celebrated now; and Danah and Stacey Gutierrez, insecure then to self-loving now.
The stories of struggles and success of Anne and Gabbi, as well as of every Filipina out there, run parallel to the benefit that Pantene Pro-Vitamin shampoo and 3 Minute Miracle conditioner give to women. You are stronger after every struggle, just like how your hair is made stronger with every wash.
The new Pantene Pro-Vitamin shampoo and 3 Minute Miracle comes in the following variants: Hair Fall Control, Total Damage Care, Silky Smooth Care, and Color Protect. Each 170ml Pro-Vitamin shampoo retails for PHP109 and 150ml 3 Minute Miracle for PHP149.
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