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Dove's response to their 'racist' ad

Posted by Ria, 09 Oct

Photo Credit: monticello / Shutterstock.com

Cosmetic company Dove have found themselves in hot water over a controversial advertisement which brought about the racism issue.

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In the ad, a black woman in a brown t-shirt removes it and underneath emerges a white woman in a lighter-colored tee.

Critics were on Dove’s neck as soon as it was put up on their Facebook page. On realizing the heat and online uproar that the ad stirred, the company took it down and posted an apology on their Twitter and Facebook pages admitting that the advert “missed the mark in representing women of color thoughtfully” adding: “We deeply regret the offense it caused”.

Now, it seems this isn’t the first time Dove has done this. CNN political commentator Keith Boykin posted another advert of a “before-after” theme. On this one, the before picture is a black woman who ‘fades’ and becomes a white woman. On her post, Boykin captions it: "Okay, Dove. One racist ad makes you suspect. Two racist ads makes you kinda guilty."

According to critics, the ad portrays the popular belief that “white” is beautiful and better. That black skin is something that requires a ‘dove’ clean up.

A sociology professor at Emory University in Atlanta, Abigail Sewell, aired her opinion on Facebook saying: "Dove's marketing team is fundamentally racist. A clean body is not a white body. Black bodies aren't systematically dirty. I've used their products forever, but it's time to move on."

In a tweet, Fox Sports analyst Chris Broussard shares similar sentiments saying: "I'll never use Dove soap again. #DonewithDove."

The director of Ava DuVernay also criticized Dove's apology in a tweet:

Much as Dove has had campaigns to show how diverse they are, the fact that these two ads seem to highlight that they can wash black skin into white skin leaves a lot to be desired. One can only imagine what such adverts can do to black teenage girls and their self esteem. What say you?

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5 responses to "Dove's response to their 'racist' ad"

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  1.   Simplylove43 says:
    Posted: 24 Mar 18

    I didn’t even take it as racist.

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  2.   blackbelle01 says:
    Posted: 26 Nov 17

    I have to agree with you both on this one. I am a BW and I am from the south. Born and raised and I know what racism is and looks like so I can pick out a racist from a mile away. If everything is called racist then eventually it will lose it meaning. Some things are just out of ignorant or unknowing.

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  3.   SKIandSKY262 says:
    Posted: 26 Nov 17

    Everything is racist these days.....so much so the term itself is rapidly losing any meaning.

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  4.   Paganinifan says:
    Posted: 10 Oct 17

    I get it, but has anyone thought for a moment about the women who CHOSE to be in this advert? It would seem to me that THEY didn’t have a problem with it. Why would a black woman say “Yes” to being in something that appears to be racist?

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    • blackbelle01 says:
      Posted: 13 Oct 17

      Why would a WW be in the commercial maybe they were unaware of how the commercial would be perceived.

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