International cosmetics giants, Dove, last week, Wednesday 4 October 2017, released a new campaign on the company’s US Facebook Page showing a short video clip of an African woman taking off her brown T-shirt and turning into a white woman after using the product. The advert has caused worldwide outrage due to the nature of the contents.
The company has attempted to control the damage with the admission that they “missed the mark” in thoughtfully representing women of colour and both apologising for any offence caused by the advert and highlighting that the company doesn’t condone any activity or imagery that insults any audience.
Dove also acknowledged that the campaign doesn’t represent the diversity of real beauty and says the post has since been removed from its social media platforms.
The South African public, as with many around the world, have reacted with outrage as screenshots of the original advert have already been spread across social media, with many calling for a ban on all Dove and Unilever products in South Africa.
Here are some of the reactions of South Africans on twitter:
Racist people don't surprise me…The disturbing part is that someone actually gave this Ad the OK #Dove #Areyoubraindead
— Bilal ?? (@billz_25) October 9, 2017
Apology of #Dove its really not enough
— SongezoMazizi® (@songezomazizi) October 9, 2017
https://twitter.com/StellaWaAfrika/status/917139592851189761
https://twitter.com/WaMphuthi/status/917158157260115968
https://twitter.com/Babalwa_bashies/status/917267454468018176
https://twitter.com/PumezaZibi/status/917293716200673280
People who still say that our problems with racism is getting better should just take a look at that #Dove ad. Somebody approved and paid!!!
— Corli van der Merwe (@corlivdmerwe) October 8, 2017
https://twitter.com/Mashuhdu/status/917259594350714880
https://twitter.com/housewived/status/917278095882838016
https://twitter.com/Inge_Papp/status/917282074746327040
By Dean Workman
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