After a social media outrage, skincare brand Nivea pulled out a deodorant commercial that sparked accusations of insensitivity and racism.
On March 31, the German label posted to its Middle East Facebook page an ad that featured a white-robed woman with her back, brushed by wavy locks, to the camera. At the bottom of the image, a slogan read “White is purity.” The accompanying social media caption stated, “Keep it clean, keep it bright. Don’t let anyone ruin it, #invisible.”
The ad marketed Nivea’s “invisible for Black & White” antiperspirant that is for use with black or white garments.
While many social media users decries the advertisement for apparent racism, some supremacist accounts shared it. Over “concerns about ethnic discrimination,” Nivea’s parent company, Hamburg-based Beiersdorf took down the advert and issued a statement of apology.
“That image was inappropriate and not reflective of our values as a company,” the statement said. “We deeply apologize for that and have removed the post. Diversity and inclusivity are crucial values of Nivea. We take pride in creating products that promote beauty in all forms. Discrimination of any kind is simply not acceptable to us as a company, as employees, or as individuals.”
This is not the first time, however, Nivea has flubbed. In 2011, the label released an ill-conceived advertisement for a men’s face shave that showed a spiffy African-American man toss away a scruffy, bearded head. “Look like you give a damn. Re-Civilize yourself” accompanied the picture.
Nivea is hardly alone when it comes to inappropriate advertisement. In early 2016, Seoul Secret, a Thai beauty company, released an ad that had pale-skinned actress Cris Horwang proclaim, “Just being white, you will win.”
Beauty brands are not the sole culprits of insolent marketing. Only several days after Nivea’s blunder, Pepsi withdrew a commercial that seemed to capitalize on the recent wave of protests. It featured Kendall Jenner strutting through a crowd of demonstrators to hand a Pepsi to a police officer.
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