Dove Apologised For A Racist Soap Ad Showing A Black Person Turning White
It's not even the first time they've run an ad like this.
Soooo, beauty giant Dove just had to apologise for running a Facebook advertisement showing a black woman turning into a white woman after using Dove body wash.
The ad “missed the mark in representing women of colour thoughtfully,” the company said in a tweeted (under)statement this morning, adding that they “deeply regret the offense it caused”. What mark they were initially aiming for is anyone’s guess. Imagine how many people would have seen and signed off on this thing.
The short video ad showed a black woman taking off her shirt to reveal a white woman underneath. According to the Facebook post that initially called attention to it, the white woman then took off her shirt to reveal another woman underneath, this time with light brown skin. Still, given the long history of soap companies — including Dove — advertising their products with the racist suggestion that their soap will turn brown skin white, you’d think they’d have learnt by now.
See for example this Dove ad from 2011, which drew exactly the same backlash their current ad is receiving:
You have done it in the past.? pic.twitter.com/qaGG10bePw
— Nonhlanhla Mabhena (@N0n0zA) October 7, 2017
And see also these examples of racist soap ads from years past based on the same premise, which a company with Dove’s resources really should be aware of by now.
Let's be clear, Dove knew exactly what they were doing with their racist ad. Soap companies used to do this racist theme all the time pic.twitter.com/EzvAiExNcP
— Tariq Nasheed (@tariqnasheed) October 8, 2017
one of these is from 2017 right? they all look the same to me. #DoneWithDove #Boycottdove #DoveAd #dove pic.twitter.com/ozS3zjP1ZQ
— ari ? (@ariedward_o) October 8, 2017
People have also been tweeting images of Dove products featuring descriptions like “for normal to dark skin” in the hashtag #donewithdove, which is really picking up steam. It’s looking like maybe Dove’s line about missing the mark also, uh, missed the mark.
Maybe you all need some people of color on your marketing team. “Missed the mark” is a gross understatement! #DoneWithDove https://t.co/Xet0iBE35o
— Marquis B. Wimberly (@MarquisBW) October 8, 2017
You can do better than "missed the mark." Flip + diminishing. Deepens your offense. You do good work. Have been for years. Do better here.
— Ava DuVernay (@ava) October 8, 2017
_
Feature image screenshot via @naythemua