Eye-Opening Commercial Sheds Light on the Pressures Facing China’s “Leftover Women”

This is one of the most empowering commercials  we’ve ever seen. Skincare brand SK-II has chosen to shed light on a Chinese societal issue that affects thousands of women. The documentary-style ad highlights how damaging traditional attitudes towards marriage can be for Chinese women in their late twenties.  The short film introduces the viewer to the idea of the Marriage Market, a place where Chinese parents share profiles of their sons and daughters to arrange marriages. Despite thriving careers, the women in the film are seen as outcasts and disappointments for not being married. The term “Sheng Nu” is widely used to describe the women and translates as “leftover woman.” The film sees daughters with their parents as they listen to their parents theories of why they have not engaged in marriage. "She's not pretty...that is why she is a leftover woman," says one mother as her daughter listens tearfully. The brand wants to challenge the expectations of young Chinese women and towards the end of the film, they stage an empowering takeover of the marriage market with the young women involved. Check it out below. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=irfd74z52Cw