L’Oréal Paris has employed its ‘Because I’m worth it’ positioning for almost 50 years. This paper explains how the brand idea was originated and its use in the subsequent history of L’Oréal, the world’s number one beauty brand. Examples are included of both advertising and purpose initiatives, such as campaigns on sexual harassment and anti-ageism, underpinned by the idea’s endorsement of self worth. A broad range of evidence from multiple markets, including brand awareness, is used to argue that the idea has strengthened brand equity and helped to grow sales and market share at the company.