The Miss America Brand Change

If you’re looking for positive change in the world, look no further than the Miss America brand and the competition that started as a beauty pageant in 1921.

Up until the announcement a few hours ago, part (if not most) of the Miss America pageant judged women on their outward physical appearance. It required women to prance on stage in segments it has called the swimsuit and evening gown competitions.

In an interview on ABC’s Good Morning America, the chair of the Board of Trustees of the Miss America Organization, Gretchen Carlson said “We are no longer a pageant. We are a competition.” She went on to talk about the competition and how it would look at who they are as a person and what’s inside their soul.

“We are now open, inclusive and transparent and I want to inspire thousands of young people across this country to come and be a part of our program,” she said. “We want you and we want to celebrate your accomplishments and your talents and then we want to hand you scholarships.”

This just goes to show that brands can evolve and adapt with changes in society and cultural norms. Where once it seemed commonplace to judge others by their physical appearance, organizations like Miss America are rethinking their brand vision to focus on intelligence and what makes a person beautiful on the inside.