Just in case you were wondering what gift to buy for the white supremacist in your life, you should totally buy them Nivea. Anything from Nivea, a German skincare company which has a bold new ad campaign: “WHITE IS PURITY.” The above image is Nivea’s latest ad campaign for the Middle East markets. When the ad came out, many people were like, “Um… WTF?” While Nivea has pulled the ad, they waited until it became a huge mess.
Nivea has pulled a deodorant ad that declared “White Is Purity” after people called the slogan racist and after some hijacked the ad’s online campaign with comments about white supremacy. The ad, which appeared in a Facebook post last week, originally targeted the German skin care company’s followers in the Middle East. It was intended to promote Nivea’s “Invisible for Black and White” deodorant and depicted the back of a woman’s head with long, wavy, dark hair that tumbled over an all-white outfit. Underneath the woman’s locks was the slogan in all caps: “WHITE IS PURITY.”
The caption on Nivea’s Facebook post read: “Keep it clean, keep bright. Don’t let anything ruin it, #Invisible.” The post was quickly condemned by people who saw it as promoting racist rhetoric.
“What the HELL is this? White Purity?” one Twitter user said. “Shame, Shame, Shame on you. Fire your marketing person and anyone who approved this ad.” Another Twitter user posted images of racist comments that had been left on the Facebook post, some referencing the Holocaust.
Still others appeared to praise the ad — citing the same reasons. The Daily Mail captured an image of a post by a white supremacist group on Nivea’s Facebook page that read, “We enthusiastically support this new direction your company is taking. I’m glad we can all agree that #WhiteIsPurity.”
“Nivea has chosen our side and the most liked comments are glorious,” another Twitter user said, with an image of the top comments on Nivea’s Facebook post. One showed Pepe the Frog, a meme that in recent years was co-opted by white supremacists and has been declared a hate symbol.
In a statement to BBC News, the company apologized for the post and said it had been removed after “concerns risen about ethnic discrimination.”
“We are deeply sorry to anyone who may take offense to this specific post,” the statement read. “After realizing that the post is misleading, it was immediately withdrawn. Diversity and equal opportunity are crucial values of NIVEA: The brand represents diversity, tolerance, and equal opportunity. We value difference. Direct or indirect discrimination must be ruled out in all decisions by, and in all areas of our activities.”
An earlier “invisible” ad declaring that “Black Stays Black. White Stays White” was still on the Nivea Middle East Facebook page as of Wednesday morning.
“Black Stays Black. White Stays White.” I’m sorry that I’m laughing but… seriously, did no one think this through??? Did Nivea hire the same ad agency as Pepsi? The ad agency that brought us “Kendall Jenner tossing her wig to a black woman so she could join in the protest and solve Black Lives Matter with Pepsi.” Oh well, at least we know where Nivea stands. Nivea: We’re Not Even Doing Dog-Whistle Racism At This Point. Nivea: White Is Right. Nivea: Endorsed By Pepe the Frog.
Ad courtesy of Nivea, additional photo by Getty.
I mean…WTF? Did nobody at Nivea say “hang on a second, are we really going to use this for our ad campaign?” Are they really that stupid? I’m baffled, honestly.
Are we entering the kardashian-level advertising game?! Are ad agencies just trying to get us to talk about their product no matter what we’re saying?
^^^Yes I think we are.
They knew exactly what they were doing.
THIS.
I agree. Controversy = free publicity can claim innocence
It looks more and more like it. Instead of trying to work negative press, they should make better products. Nivea gave me a rashes when I was a child and it gives me rashes now.
Exactly, they knew and we’re testing reactions, smdh
I’m sure there were a few people who said this was a bad idea, but they obviously did not have the power in this situation. All it takes is one ignorant exec. to completely override the voices of reason. I do hope that exec. loses their job over this this ad because I can imagine the global loss of sales should be epic.
Actually. @saygoodnightgracie is incorrect. The initial meaning behind the white wedding dress had nothing to do with sexual purity or any kind of purity. It represented wealth and luxury. So you are absolutely incorrect in your assessment.
At some point, the meaning behind wearing a white dress changed, in large part due to influence from religious organizations, particularly the Catholic Church.
All things considered Nivea’s commercial still missed the mark.
In many countries, including my native one, Nivea is the most ubiquitous brand of skin cream, and I’m glad it’s not as popular in the U.S.: I haven’t used it in over a decade. And on FB relatives/friends/acquaintances of mine from a few nations (of several ethnic backgrounds) have reported their outrage to me about this ad. I hope Nivea loses a lot of customers for this, and that the people who created that ad are genuinely ashamed of themselves. (I don’t think too many advertisers are what you could consider “easily shamed”, or morally humbled; mainly, their sincerest shame lies in losing money. So I certainly hope that they do lose a great deal. )
No idea how to reply directly to SayGoodNightGracie on my phone – but as another has said, wedding dresses were initially just the nicest dress you owned. To wear a white dress meant you could afford a dress that had no other purpose than for that day, thus showing wealth.
Also – white is the color of death and mourning in China. Historically, women wore red for weddings because it was the color of happiness. Wearing white was BAD BAD.
Because this kind of shadist(?), racist campaign is prevalent in countries like the Philippines, India, Malaysia, Thailand (most of Asia, I guess). They have ads that are blatantly advocating colorism. Nivea is a trusted brand in Asia. So I guess that kind of campaign is acceptable since their target consumers seem to be ok with it.
Pretty sure it has nothing to do with race. The color white has always been viewed as a representation of purity, cleanliness and being sort of sterile, as in free of germs and dirt. One reason the wedding dress is white was because it represented purity of the woman, being a virgin, being untouched. Nivea was going for this idea in their campaign but too many people are too used to playing the race card in every, single aspect of life, that they were too stupid to see this ad campaign for what it was supposed to be. Getting sick of this race card crap!
Nivea is also prevalent in most of Europe, so I doubt their target consumers are ok with it.
Wait, what? It doesn’t mean racism but it does mean women are better when they are virgins? So nothing to see here? Um… ok then. Not sure how that makes things better.
Sixer, that’s a really ignorant take-away from what I said. At what point did my comment even remotely mean that women are better as virgins?? That’s what the traditional white wedding dress represented, virginal purity. Good Lord.
“Pretty sure it has nothing to do with race.”
which is exactly what Nivea is hoping most folks will think. they call it “hiding in plain sight”.
I think the blatant-ness of it is deliberate; it makes people think “they’d NEVER be that outright about their racism” so that Nivea can be all “oh, noes! that’s not what we meant AT ALL!” when it does get called out.
however, as noted above, I disagree. I think they knew exactly what they were doing but didn’t expect A) everyone to see their “subtle”/”subliminal” racism or B) that they’d called out for it. and you can tell by their non-apology apology of “sorry to anyone who may take offense to this specific post”. not, “sorry for our mistake; we realized that our post could easily be mistaken for racism; we messed up and have withdrawn the ad”.
and I have to question the stance of ANYONE who actually says “playing the race card”. using that term says a lot about how you see or, more accurately DON’T see, how much racial issues affect people of color.
I said it because you explicitly associated the white is purity message as being culturally connected to virginity as well as describing the content of the product. You made the association, not me. You simply asserted a different intended sub-textual association for this ad than race. That’s what advertising is FOR – making sub-textual associations to create purchase desire. That’s the entire point of advertising. That’s what branding IS.
“Getting sick of people playing the race card!”
Said no non-white person ever.
Gracie
It doesn’t matter how Nivea meant it. Clearly to white supremacists, it was a great message. Don’t you think that’s a problem? Can you give me some examples of playing the race card? I’ve never been sure exactly what that means. I do know I had a customer tell me his neighborhood was great, there’s no black people there. Another customer told me their fire fighter kid in NY was having trouble getting a position because he wasn’t the right color. They would have been really embarrassed if I let them know my husband is mixed. My mixed husband was told at his old job that he wasn’t white enough to use the bathroom. He didn’t file a complaint, we know there would have been backlash if he did. There are lots of examples of racism, most aren’t going to complain because they need a paycheck and if you work with mostly whites, there will be payback. Just like filling a sexual harassment complaint. They’ll look it, investigate it, maybe move you to a different position but you’re a marked person after that.sooner or later, they will find a way to get rid of you. So the assumption that many people make it up is untrue, IMO. There is much more to be lost than gained by doing so.
Gracie: I agree with some of your post, not the race card part, but If you don’t agree with comments or posts, you’re a hater, shamer, bigot, or pick any other word that applies. It is difficult to express a thought these days without having it labeled and picked apart. If you’re not in the majority, you’re the minority and stand alone. The times have changed and we must measure every word we say or surely be attacked for having your own opinion, different from some one else. Oh well, I can’t seem to articulate my thoughts, but it is frustrating to say the least.
I don’t necessarily think it was deliberate or hiding in plain sight, however White Supremacists would obviously cling to the phrase “White is purity.” Yeah the color white has been used to symbolized clean, pure, calm etc etc but unfortunately hate groups tend to co opt things (like Pepe the frog) and twist them. So white the color has come to represent white as in skin color or white people as a system. It’s not really “playing the race” card. Blame hate groups and centuries of white nonsense for this crap, not non white people for finding it offensive.
@spiderpig +1000 lol
To @saygoodnightgracie – yea, you sound sooooo angry about *the complaints/activism AGAINST racism* which probably doesn’t affect you directly at all.
Tell me…have you gotten similarly angry about racism.
You remind me of those women spitting on black school kids telling them to go back where they came from. They were sooo mad an 8yo child had to ruin their trip to get groceries with the or national guard escort into her new elementary school.
But not bothered at the centuries long discrimination and hate that kept her from an education.
That’s you, on a much smaller yet still damaging scale @saygoodnightgracie.
@Spiderpig +10000
“Getting sick of people playing the race card!”
Said no non-white person ever. -@Spiderpig
^^^ So much this.
Do ad agencies no longer focus group new campaigns? Market research can be so effective in preventing embarrassment.
It would not surprise me if some people in Nivea knew exactly how this would be seen. Perhaps they are actually endorsing this interpretation. Plenty of Neo Nazis in big business too
word. we’ve entered a new age (ushered in by the new US admin) where it’s just blatant at a level most liberal white folk have not seen before (black and brown folk have been dealing with it all along but it’s getting more and more dangerous and unapologetic white supremacist)
Part of me thinks this could be intentional. Part of me thinks people underestimate just how fucking stupid some ad people and executives can be. They can’t go beyond spell check to context….but the failure to even recognize their error is horribly racist.
Omg. Now THIS is some tone deaf nonsense. How does this stuff get approved?!?!
I honestly don’t know how this even happened. What were they thinking? It’s like… they couldn’t have made it that laughably tone-deaf if they TRIED.
Is this a prank?
I don´t know whether to laugh or to cry. It´s not like there is just one person responsible for copy, concept, etc.? And no-one was like WAIT A SECOND THIS ONE MIGHT BE RACIST AS FUCK?! What are those people even doing? HOW? H.O.W???????
Is it me or the ad is also saying women should also be invisible lol. That model could even be a mannequin or Sadako.
This is a German company? So, it’s not like they can claim ignorance of the historical implications. This couldn’t have been an accident.
I’m not condoning this in any way, just trying to think of an explanation for this frack-up that makes sense to me: The younger generation of Germans speak English very well, and are very much aware of US culture, through watching TV series in English, reading US websites and such. I’d say, it’s fair to expect your average German around the age of thirty to be able to hold a conversation in English.
The generations before that, not so much. They very much think in German terms only, both culturally and linguistically. To them, white is the colour of wedding dresses, or, figuratively, the fairytale white. They don’t consider its implications in terms of skin colour.
So, do I think this is an offensive mess? Yes. Do I think that one should be able to expect the person in charge of an international campaign like this to be aware of the racial implications of said campaign? Hell, yes!
Do I think they did it deliberately? No. The fallout from it is too bad, and rightfully so. Do I think they are hateful racists? No. Do I think they are blissfully ignorant? Yes. But blissful ignorance is not an excuse in this day and age. This is a world of globalisation. It is easy to inform yourself. And that, I find, one should be able to expect from a global brand, German in origin or not. Epic Fail.
Although I highly doubt only German native speakers work on NIVEA campaigns. That brand is sold in probably half the countries in the world.
ETA: I just skimmed the list on their website, I’d say about 100 countries are listed.
“The generations before that, not so much. They very much think in German terms only, both culturally and linguistically. To them, white is the colour of wedding dresses, or, figuratively, the fairytale white. They don’t consider its implications in terms of skin colour.”
In my country also. Very few people would associate this with skin colour. Racial diversity is pretty much non existent in my country, and racial issues are almost never discussed. The younger generation is more aware of racism, but most people think of racism as a very direct thing, they probably wouldn’t be aware of something more subtle like this.
Of course this is very wrong, but countries that are more homogenous are rarely aware of different shades of racism.
But then again, Germany is very multucultural, and even if it weren’t, they sell to countries that are. Nivea should have known better.
If you’re a multi-national company running international ads, you have to consider more than one set of cultural sensitivities. To suggest a brand the size of Nivea isn’t aware of that seems to me to be entirely ridiculous. It’s the usual epic fail also made far too often by companies based in countries that DO have those cultural sensibilities. I can’t see it being a German thing at all.
And in any case, we have a choice of white being equated with a preferential skin colour, or white being associated with a preference for women to have the attributes of purity and virginity. I don’t see how that is any better.
Ad fails spectacularly on every possible level.
I have a hard time believing that they were fully aware of the implications. I just cannot believe they would be so stupid as to think they could get away with it. Maybe I’m naive.
You mean they did this on purpose?If a German company pulls this sh*t in Germany, they’re toast. Any whiff of racism etc. is not acceptable. Also, Nivea is just a brand name, the company is Beiersdorf. Their history would suggest that this is probably not what they’re about. But they’re a huge company so who knows who’s making decisions there. Someone clearly dropped the ball but to say it wasn’t an accident is a bit much.
The stupidity and unprofessionalism is offensive enough though. There’s no excuse.
It’s incredibly dumb. Although the “black stays black, white stays white” line about a deodorant makes sense, cause that stuff usually gets on your clothes; (maybe they should add a line about blue stays blue, etc.).
@littlemissnaughty: I totally agree with you here. A friend of mine is a graphic designer who works for a German company and he told me a couple of weeks ago that he was working on a project and inadvertently used the same shade of red as the one on the Nazi flag. It didn’t take his bosses longer than five minutes to notice that and request that he change it. Germans are super careful about stuff like that. I’ve lived in Germany too for a few years and still keep up with their news, media, culture, etc., so I know that from first-hand experience as well.
That being said, this is a colossal f-ck-up on part of Nivea, no question.
As a native German I can tell you that we’re really really aware of that stuff.
I can also attest that pretty much everyone under 30 (maybe even 40) has at least a conversational understanding of English. Our commercials are also often partly English or “Denglish” (German-English). I know the German commercials for this product and they’re in German not in English. They’re all about people wearing half white half black clothes. If I recall correctly the lines “white stays white” and “black stays black” are also used in them (in German) and no one would take offence at it, because if you see it in a deodorant commercial that talks about not having stains from it on your clothes, you don’t think about skin color? I know I never did and there was never a problem with the old commercials.
However “White is Purity” definitely is problematic and everyone here would’ve recognised that. I think the company was just really caught up in that black and white theme of the other commercials and with the background of the product and the thought of the color white as purity (in the sense of clean alias Mr Clean or just wedding dresses…) it made sense for them and then no outsider did check it afterwards. I’m pretty interested in which market it was meant for tho, because it doesn’t look like it was meant for the German market and the article says middle east, maybe that sounds stupid, but if Americans say middle east it’s Iraq, Egypt, Iran, Turkey and Saudi Arabia, right?
Either way this story just sounds so stereotypical “German company using white supremacy slogans”
Agreed. Racist, clumsy, unprofessional mess. Along with the White Purity message, my mind skipped immediately to miscegenation laws with Black stays black. White stays white. Deodorant misfire. Thanks for explaining how they possibly thought that would sell anything to non white supremacists. I was #dumfoodled.
OK, can we say now all those corps are doing that provocative mess on purpose? Because they totally are and it’s disgusting. I think I won’t be commenting on this kind of sh*t no more because I feel used. Active and silent boycott will be my answer.
Thank you! I’m so over it
Yep, this is going to end well for Nivea.
Seriously how in this time and age? And from Germany. I can’t but laugh.
I know right? Germany of all places!
Uh oh, I actually meant the opposite. That Germany was one of the countries that was making a lot of efforts to welcome more refugees (people of colour included) and is more very open about the current crisis and all, that they(Nivea) thought it was appropriate to market their product to them in this manner.
Sorry I wasn’t very clear earlier.
Uh huh. Because we’re worse than everyone else? I get it, I do. But come on. I hope you’re not from the US because REALLY.
what is that supposed to mean? that’s offensive to Germany, I’m sure. Shame on you.
“Getting sick of people playing the [country] card!”
Actually, Nivea has branches all over the world and ads don’t have to be approved by the German head quarter, but by the head quarter of the country it’s intended for, so big chance that this ad was neither designed nor approved by Germans
Okay, I admit I was dense about the Pepsi commercial, but this is blatant and offensive.
Not all countries immiadetelly associate white and black with skin colors (skin colors are more like between peach and dark brown anyway). So it could be that, white is clean and light and all that (black and white are not real colors actually).
WHAAAAAAATTT????!!!
Wowuuuu. Hmmmmn, so exactly what were the Nivea people trying to convey? I’m confused. Doesn’t Nivea promote and ship to a lot of African countries? I see lots of adverts with black people too.
That’s why I’m a bit baffled by this ad’s tagline. ‘White is purity’, really? Then please, tell us what ‘Black’ is. My conclusion is that it was done for publicity, period!!
Oh dear.
Who is this stupid? Who? White is purity? Why did they have to bring white into it? Christ almighty, just talk about the purity of the product – you know, like how Ivory soap bragged that it was 99.44% pure (which begs the question, pure what? I digress). Their soap was literally called “Ivory” and they managed not to come up with a white supremacist mess of an ad campaign. I usually shy away from recommending firing people, but this is just so unforgivably stupid and hateful.
Heavens to Betsy! You know how sometimes one makes a connection one realises one could (and probably should) have made decades earlier if one were not so stupid?
I grew up in the Ivory soap world and never once thought about the “ivory=white” thing. I was susceptible to the “ivory=pure” thing, without actually reading any labels to look for contaminants.
You’re right, they managed to sneak that one through. There was probably also a vague association with ivory-the-substance-of-value (pre-awareness of poaching and threatened species).
The Nivea ad is breathtakingly awful and the apology was poorly written. Concerns were about racial, not ethnic, beliefs (and not discrimination, which refers to acts motivated by beliefs), and there’s an unclear antecedent — the ad didn’t withdraw itself after realizing the problem. The company withdrew the ad. That’s an ungrammatical way to avoid taking responsibility. They should have used the royal “We.” Bet they are pissed that they have to dump a whole, expensive ad and marketing campaign.
German company, were they fans of Hitler? & I agree with above posters, there is no way both Nivea & Pepsi did this without knowing it would cause controversy, come on. Seriously no one who saw either add said anything? I feel like this would be on an episode of Blackish, since Anthony Anderson’s character is an ad exec.
Actually Beiersdorf the Company producing Nivea was founded by a Family with jewish Origins which had to emigrate during the third reich. They even took care to Keep their Advertising free from Nazi ideology and were labeld as “judencreme” by the Nazis. At least in Germany Nivea usually uses Models with different skincolours for their ads.
But that is no excuse for this horrible ad. Even if the Person who wrote it was plain stupid and tonedeaf, and I can imagine somebody tried to stick with the black and white theme the ads had, and also the name Nivea, “Snowwhite” in Latin, there hast to be someone checking the ads bevor they are released.
Hahahaha this CANNOT be real?? Lawd have mercy…
Wooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooow.
Wowza.
“Did Nivea hire the same ad agency as Pepsi?”
No, because Pepsis ad was conceived by their in-house department. I bet it was the same for Nivea and it came from within. Like in most industries, we spend most of our time trying to talk clients away from a bad idea. Now this is what happens when a company decides to save money and just conceive these things internally. I mean the guys in the department may know what they are doing but they probably answer to supervisors who ramrod the “genius” idea that came to them in the shower last night.
Then the model in a bathrobe turns around… surprise! It ‘s Kendall Jenner.
dying!
SCREAMING
Hahaha! Someone should make a gif of that.
LMAO!
Does controversy generate sales or something?
no.
I wonder just how many times humanity needs to be reminded that the disordered thoughts of people like this lead to words, words lead inevitably to deeds, and a whole lot of people end up suffering and/or dying. It’s like we’re living through some kind of cultural coming-out party for racist debutantes. And it’s truly frightening.
OMFG. No one can possibly this dense and out-of-touch?
No. No-one can
Pepsi: lets make the most out of touch ad there is.
Sony: nah let’s make the most racist ad out there.
Nivea: hold my beer guys.
Probably what went down.
I literally just put my hand over my mouth and went, “NOOOOOOO THEY DID NOT” in my head. This is what happens when you fill a room with only one kind of person.
Another question: Do you guys that are calling “RACIST” on this ad really think that a company is going to put their bottom line at risk and start making racist ads and touting “whites only” propaganda? Because the last time I looked, moisturizer and skin care companies have always touted their products as being free from radicals and oils and other ingredients that can be harmful to skin; that they are the only ones that could get rid of black heads (oooh that’s RACIST) and dirt and oils and other variables that can cause skin issues. They have always used creams that are white in color and “pure” in substance, meaning no harmful, unnatural ingredients. Why is it that now they are being racist? Because they are using the word white? That’s the color of their cream! It’s not uncommon to use the product and it’s color, ingredients and performance to sell their goods. Y’all need to just calm down and stop trying to look for race in everything. It is ok to not be offended at everything in the world.
Gracie – say goodnight.
GREAT comeback! Not.
I feel like it’s only safe to reference color (or ethnicity) in a positive way in advertising is by NOT mentioning white or white people. Otherwise it’s misconstrued. Nivea should have known better in this day & age. White is considered pure. They didn’t say white PEOPLE are considered pure.
Does this mean I’m racist for wearing white on my wedding day? If I say black is demonic… I’m not saying I think black people are the devil.
I’m just saying not every time a color is mentioned it’s a sign a racism. I truly do not think this was their goal… to offend & be racist. But I do think it’s their responsibility to avoid offending all ethnicities & always be mindful of other views. They should have saw this coming.
Do you genuinely not see the correlation between associating white with “good,” “pure” and “clean” and black with “dirty”, “evil” and “bad”? That such ideas are inextricably historically and culturally attached to race, and beliefs about which is superior (and why)?
That in the Middle East, as well as many African and Asian countries, there is a great deal of colorism that differs somewhat from what we have here in the U.S. and other so-called “Western” cultures, but is still heavily focused on the idea that lighter skin, hair and eye color is somehow “better” and therefore more desirable?
I am with you Gracie…. the cream IS blindingly white and always was. Btw nivea is as far from organic skincare as cheese in a can is from a REAL cheese.
It’s about perception, not reality. The reality is they did not realize how it would come across. How, idk. I’m white and white equals purity sounds fishy to me. Regardless of how they meant it, white supremacists love it. That’s a problem. A smart marketing team should have realized how that would come across and avoid any appearance of impropriety. I think most people would agree that white equals purity is problematic. Just keep checking here to see what people think.
It wouldn’t be problematic if we didn’t have a documented history of European imperial enterprise that involved the subjugation of native peoples utilizing skin color and cultural differences to affirm white superiority. Since we don’t live in a vacuum in which these things didn’t historically occur, we don’t get to pretend the phrase “white is purity” has negative connotations.
The tag is: white is purity. In this day and age how does one not think of white supremacist groups? If not you must live in a great luxury of not being aware of racial strife. Lastly, white = purity has always historical represented a racial connotation and hidden meaning. Black in older dictionaries meant dark skin, evil, bad. This is why the villain wears black. That was the word association for black. White in the older dictionaries meant pure, clean, etc. This is why angels were always visually enshrined in whiteness. So think about the juxtaposition of the word associations. This has continued in our modern times. This is not harmless imagery, it’s a hold over from blatant racist dichotomies.
Maybe this slogan being part of the company’s “core” values was the real reason they removed Rihanna as their spokesperson.
Wow I don’t know what’s worse the ad or the crazies trying to defend the ad.
This^
When you use a phrase that is, quite literally, lifted directly from White Supremacy manifestos, that is then instantly praised, hash-tagged, retweeted, etc. by proud, unabashed White Supremacists than … yeah, it’s racist AF. How is this even a question?
No amount of doublespeak or “our PC Culture” diversions can erase that. Just like, “America First” is not some harmless, patriotic rallying cry. It has very distinct, very real, very racial connotations.
We can argue whether such symbolism was intentional or not for Nivea, but, really, it doesn’t matter. Just like the, Are you “racist in your heart” question is such a tired dodge. If you do or say something that racists cheer, than it’s racist. Period. “But I didn’t really mean it” is a crappy, and half-hearted-at-best, excuse.
Yes!
I think there is a tendency to apply our (American/Canadian, UK) standards to other cultures and countries and it often times does not fit. These Western countries have a white dominant group with a diverse racial/ethnic population. They also have long histories of racism and white supremacy and a history of resistance too. That is why American and Canadian commentators find this ad outrageous.
I do think these whiteness campaigns, or as they are referred to in India,’ fairness’, is hugely problematic. I don’t think it makes sense to apply an american analysis of racism when trying to understand this dynamic in the middle east, asia or africa.
Yes, this is what I was thinking. It was for a Middle East audience, right? I’ve spent a couple of years living in Asian countries and this kind of advertising is all over the place. Whenever I buy skin care products in Asia, I always have to check the packaging to make sure it doesn’t have a whitening agent in it. So, that market has already become quite desensitized to the idea that ‘white is better’.
The thing is, in countries where the majority of people do have lighter skin, (like Australia, where I’m from), we are all bombarded with products to make our skin darker!
I essentially see that whole thing as capitalism…trying to make us feel insecure about however we look and selling us a product to make us look different…whether that is darker or lighter.
Spiderpeg, I doubt that Nivea would run ads for skin whiteners in the US as most ads are aimed at white people and as Emma33 pointed out, tanned skin among white women is a trend. As for it being a global campaign, why would they market skin whitener to white people? Theses companies know their market and strategize accordingly. These products are marketed to countries with people of colour who prize white/light skin tones. Whether we like it or not, there is a market for this, women want these products in the same way that white women do all the things needed to get tanned.
I wonder if Nivea would have bothered to address this if it hadn’t been noticed by westerners.
I’m aware there is resistance to skin whitening in India. I am also intimately aware of how prevalent the conflation of beauty with fairness is among many Indians as I am of Indian origin. In fact, when my son was born and I called my mother to tell her, the first question she asked was, ‘is he fair?’ I was surprised because I thought he’d get a pass as he is male.
Agreed. I also saw many products like this during my time living in China, when some women I knew went so far as to keep umbrellas over their heads to avoid any direct sunlight tanning. One student I had told me it was because she did not want to look like “a peasant.” I think that it isn’t enough just to filter this campaign solely through a U.S. history lens. American women need to hear analysis from feminists in other countries, to get their perspective on how global corporate marketing of a “fair” or “white” beauty ideal may exacerbate race and class inequities in their particular societies.
When you take a look at how the world was colonized by Western Europe I do believe at one point about 70% of the world was colonized by Europe. So this is not just a North American opinion. Any country that was colonized by a Western European country at some point has had to deal with issues of sex, race and class in that context. Historically, it’s there.
Yes, colonization plays a role but so do the indigenous cultures. I think to chalk it all up to white supremacist european culture simplifies the issue and ironically center white, european cultures. It erases the history and culture of the colonized countries. It is complicated and dynamic. European cultures have also been impacted by beauty ideals associated with poc communities. You certainly see that in fashion and cosmetic surgery trends in the west, particularly the US.
It is complex-my point was colonization is a process by which an already complex functioning culture intersects with and is dominated by another for a period of time. The results are common but are still have distinctive effects because of different customs/languages etc. Acknowledging an uncomfortable part of one’s history doesn’t erase what came before or after it.
And usually, when European fashion uses beauty ideals associated with poc communities it is seen as beautiful on white women, and ‘ghetto’ on women of colour. For example, dreadlocks on poc are seen as ‘you must smoke weed’ or looking unkept, and on white people are seen as the ‘new box-braid trend’. It’s not a balanced dynamic and there is a reason for that.
Just want to add that Nivea has regional branches and marketing teams all over the world, not just in Germany.
Same company that received a lot of backlash in Singapore for their whitening underarm deodorant campaign with an influencer. A lot of feminists were up in arms. This type of campaigning for fairness is very rampant in Asia, but so far I’ve only read that feminists in India, Singapore and Malaysia are calling such campaigning out.
I think the reaction to skin whitening products in the US would be about sexism and racism whereas In the countries you mention, the focus is more on sexism? This is the kind of cultural differences I was referring to in my post upthread.
To me, it’s clumsy to apply the same analysis of US white supremacy to Asian, African and Middle Eastern countries.
I’d be interested to know more about what historical/social factors make these products appealing to women in these countries.
Hi Sanders, yes the focus was more on sexism instead of racism. Hmmm, this issue in Asia is not straightforward too. In some Asian regions, way before western colonialism, fair skin was already prized due to nobility not having to work in the fields. I’d say the issue is a mixed bag these days. In South East Asia, pan-Asian models are more in demand because their skin tend to be fairer and they look more Caucasian. In fact, there was a recent hooha about a pan-Asian being cast as a Singaporean Chinese when he doesn’t even look Chinese. In the U.S. and Europe, the pan-Asian folks may be counted as Asians, but over here they are envied for having mixed Caucasian heritage. A lot of them become media personalities in Singapore, Malaysia, Philippines, India, Thailand and Indonesia. Overall, an evolving issue.
Edit: accidentally added India in my last comment. Not sure about India’s media personalities though I can think of Katrina Kaif as one famous mixed race name. Maggie Q was another pan-Asian model who made her name in Asia before trying for Hollywood. It’s quite bad when bloggers go for plastic surgery to look more ‘mixed’. Part of the surgery entails vitamin C injection for fairness. Fascinating.
The mixed race in question should always be with a white person right? Just wanted to clarify because there can be all kinds of combinations but i think its the one that is combined with a white person that is prized.
There used to be a stigma associated with biracial children, the product of white colonizers and Indians, for reasons related to the tradition of arranged marriage and caste.
I remember not too long ago, in the late 1980’s I visited my cousin in India who has bluish-green eyes and she told me she was made fun off by her peers. She then wanted confirmation from me that in America, people would like her eye colour. This was before Aishwaraya Rai. How times have changed.
Yup Sanders, the ‘prized’ mix is with Caucasian or European heritage. Even for child models. Shrug.
First world countties faux outrage – trying to apply an imperialistic view on the world where culturally there’s no such subtext in the local beliefs. And then complain about “white supremacy”, well that’s the origin for which you have that empire mentality in the first place. So tone deaf!
Lmao. I’m cant even deal with the stupidity of these marketing teams.
You think that’s bad…go to India. I’ve seen the craziest ads there for skin whitening creams by Garnier…for women and men. The ads are beyond gross and super racist.
Holy sh-t.
Hey! I’m a 61 year old privileged white woman: WHAT would even need to be “thought over”??! It’s so completely wrong on any level. As in, bye bye Nivea products from my future.
In many parts of Palestine fair skin is desired. I’m assuming it’s similar in other parts of the Arab world, that’s why I doubt this marketing of white is pure is accidental. The worship of white skin and Americans in many parts of the Arab world is ridiculous and infuriating. Generally speaking, I think it’s an inferiority complex. But it’s obviously a lot more nuanced than thah.
As twitter has kindly reminded me, 6 years ago, Nivea also ran an ad featuring a black guy with the tag line “re-civilize yourself.” 🙄 Guess I’m not buying anymore Nivea body wash (the only Nivea product I use).
https://twitter.com/saharmali/status/849773396506402818
I remember that ad and the reaction to it was similar. I’m surprised they didn’t learn from that.
Nivea is trash but WOW people are overreacting to this.
I think you’re under-reacting. It does matter. And it matters every time. If you don’t understand why, read the comments of those who do.
@ mermaid
I think you are under-reacting to people who don’t agree with you.
Everybody should make an attempt to understand the other’s point of view else any conversation is pointless.
Dear ad agencies: if your ad is loved by white supremacists, you’ve messed up.
I have a question based on something someone said upthread about how companies are constantly selling products to change the color of people’s skin: if skin lightening products are considered racist, are skin darkening products (like tanning products) also considered racist? Since they both change the color of people’s skin? Are tanning products considered sexist since they’re mostly targeted at women?
Lapidation brigade ready, steady, go! Seems these days that absolutely everything is offensive and everybody is ready to pick a fight one way or another. Everything is polarized and if you say something some people will be offended for one reason and some other people will be offended as well for the opposite reasons. But all will twist the words in their own benefit.
Has anyone thought that maybe Nivea people were just trying to convey the idea of Nivea=cleanness though using the actual meaning of the words? Nivea is a Latin word which actually means white as snow (yeah, exactly like their cream). Also, throughout history white has been associated with cleanness and purity without any skin colour implication.
I think people are reading this ad too much into US social/political agenda.
Then why didn’t they go with Nivea is purity? Yes it matters. It matters every time. If you don’t understand why, read the comments of those who do.
Maybe it’s just that here in Europe racial issues are not as blatant as in the US and we’re not that sensitive on the matter, or maybe it’s just me that I don’t care if someone’s white, black, yellow, blue, green or purple. We’re all the same.
And no, I still don’t think that a huge company like Nivea would risk their reputation and customers by aligning themselves with some alt-right white supremacist rhetoric, specially they coming from Germany where all these things are extremely sensitive. Clumsy result on the choice of words? Probably. Disproportionate backlash on the ad? Surely.
@ Tiddlesbored
I would agree. I am German and companies try very hard to avoid racist whiffs. Racism and discrimination over here is more seen in certain phrases or depictions which have connections to the Nazis and the Third Reich.
I find it odd that the suggestion to “civilise yourself” is racist just because the model depicted happens to be black and gets rid of an afro. The historical context of making afro hair look non-afro isn’t so blatantly obvious over here.
@Tiddlesbored As someone pointed out upthread Nivea has a history of creating blatantly racist ads. A few years back, they did an ad with a black model holding a decapitated head of another black man with an Afro. The tag-line was “re-civilize yourself.” This ad may not have been as blatantly racist, but with a history like that, it’s hard to give them the benefit of the doubt.
That was an add for shaving cream/soap. The re-civilisation aspect referred to an african man getting a more business-like hairstyle.
I doubt that anybody makes it anywhere in big business with a hairstyle that business companies consider to be inappropriate. And whatever hair you have for men a “business haircut” is very short on the sides and on the back and only the top hair has some length. I think that one was more about business rules and career.
Are you joking? Having the advert be about a black man “re-civilising” himself by shaving off his *natural hair* does not somehow make it better.
To be honest: the colour white has been the symbol colour of innocence for centuries.
Brides marrying in white to show their “innocence” and cleanliness.
Linnen and walls in hospitals used to be white so that you could see even the tiniest spots because hygiene. I think today’s light green and light blue serves the same purpose.
Milk was still consumable when it was white and same for yoghurt and young cheese and curd and cream. White bread was considered more luxurious.
Most shampoos and soaps and washing powders are somewhat white-ish.
Eggs are white / cream beige coloured and as they are important in christian culture (symbol of resurrection) it is definitely positive.
I would say that there is some cultural connection to white being a positively contextualised colour.
Of course Nivea and Pepsi or any other multinational company should be held to the flame when this type of thing happen! Those in marketing have a special responsibility to honor the values for which these companies they stand: diversity, respect, etc. Anyone considered a marketing professional should be well aware of the history of marketing and commercials and how awful they have been in terms of diversity, respect and inclusiveness. So this is stupidity, incompetence and negligence on the part of Nivea and Pepsi, too.
My take: they create the ads to stir up controversy and attention to their products, knowing there will be those who support the foolishness and those who will advertise and talk about their products. This has much more impact sometimes than a simple ad. It’s free advertising on all stations, mediums, and other platforms.
There is one thing I don’t get:
How do you make jokes or advertising campaigns without ridiculing anybody nor anything? Can somebody give me an example?
Not agreeing is not under-reacting. Everything else you’ve written is disingenuous the very least. Read the comments and you will see why it IS a problem. To say there isn’t one because you don’t see it , or other people are too sensitive is the antithesis of your username.
Oh, I don’t know, I could be totally naive here, unlike most on here…..ha ha ha…..but um, could it be a DELIBERATE marketing ploy?
Sincerely, Duh