Io Weintraub
Senior Project Proposal
10 March 2022

I was selected to intern at Shiseido’s international marketing department. From that vantage point, I will explore inclusivity and global consumerism in the health and beauty industry. They are a beauty and wellness company that manages other well-known cosmetics brands like Nars and bare minerals. I met with Mary Gerzma, senior vice president, on zoom and we discussed different ways that I can create a unique internship experience to appeal to all my disparate interests in film, intersectional feminism, and Japanese language.

This is an extension of my past research in Intersectional Feminism as the company begins to prioritize ethics in relation to race, religion, and bias. At the start of the third trimester, the marketing group will be beginning to examine “Halal Makeup,” or products permissible for Muslim women.

Another important part of this internship is that Shiseido is a Japanese brand. I’m going to be able to contribute my bilingual experience in both Tokyo and New York to facilitate communication with the main headquarters in Japan. Global research for marketing will give me insight into the business aspects of the industry but more interestingly the role of culture in commerce. Bilingualism has always been such a huge part of my life but I’ve never found a way to make use of it through activities or work experiences. Moreover, this internship would precede a summer internship with the American team in Toyko. After understanding the fundamentals of the company, I would be able to join the Japan branch as a full-time employee. This project will be a challenge for me as I would be embarking on a new field – marketing – and I would be using my Japanese in a business setting for the first time.

My essential topic is exploring bias in the beauty industry. I want to explore the ways the company is addressing and responding to issues of inequality and injustices. So, in addition to the internship, I will be involved in a research project parallel to my working experience. The internship and the research assignment would fill the experience bucket and the academic bucket.

To complete the service bucket, I will continue to volunteer at an organization called Fencing in the Park, with which I have been working since the previous summer. I help support and teach children living in low-income neighborhoods how to fence and subsequently find opportunities through the sport.

Because my project is mostly experience-based, I hope to measure my success by sharing my research with the community.