Dove’s latest Facebook ad shows a black woman changing into a white woman after apparently using their body wash. Understandably, this ad has caused some major backlash against Dove on social media.
The ad has been pulled down by Dove, but not before it was called out for racism by people all over Twitter and Facebook.
This #Dove ad shows a black woman turning herself white by using their product. Simply sick & insane. #RacistDove pic.twitter.com/OmKkcUDc0W
— Samir Abbas (@TheSamirAbbas) October 9, 2017
I’m never buying Dove again.
Y’all think my brown skin symbolises dirt.— Tshwanelo Fokazi (@TshwaneloFokazi) October 8, 2017
And there is @Dove with their racist ad.
I now believe brands aim to offend for attention. Cant blv nobody at Dove saw the racism in this pic.twitter.com/KVCNGlsnXV— Phil Kgopolo Mphela (@PhilMphela) October 8, 2017
#BoycottDove because like other major comestics brands they think being black is undesirable and dirty.
— Kelechi Okafor (@kelechnekoff) October 8, 2017
People are talking about how soap companies have been doing this and getting away with it.
the racist dove ad is a continuation of a long history of racist soap advertising pic.twitter.com/nO7iDT7dxH
— /kaw·reɪdʒ/ (@kawrage) October 8, 2017
Again. There is a history of racism in cleansing products. No way anyone didn’t notice that in the dove ad pic.twitter.com/rXNd6144V3
— George M Johnson (@IamGMJohnson) October 8, 2017
Dear God! How did this even make it to the final stages? What sort of a whiteboard team does Dove have to clear this? pic.twitter.com/3JxX2K8mA2
— Rituparna Chatterjee (@MasalaBai) October 8, 2017
Dove has apologized for the ad and said that they missed the mark in their representation of women of colour.
An image we recently posted on Facebook missed the mark in representing women of color thoughtfully. We deeply regret the offense it caused.
— Dove (@Dove) October 7, 2017
But people called out Dove’s bluff here again saying they have done it in the past as well and it is not just an ignorant mistake.
You have done it in the past.🙄 pic.twitter.com/qaGG10bePw
— Nonhlanhla Mabhena (@N0n0zA) October 7, 2017
— jonalisa (@jonalisag) October 8, 2017
Okay, Dove…
One racist ad makes you suspect.Two racist ads makes you kinda guilty. pic.twitter.com/hAwNCN84h2— Keith Boykin (@keithboykin) October 8, 2017
According to BBC, Dove added later in a statement: “This did not represent the diversity of real beauty which is something Dove is passionate about and is core to our beliefs, and it should not have happened.
“We have removed the post and have not published any other related content. We apologise deeply and sincerely for the offence that it has caused.”
