The post has created an outcry in social media. (Website)After facing the heat over posting a controversial advertisement on Facebook, soap company Dove has apologised saying it “missed the mark in representing women of color thoughtfully.” A video which was posted on Facebook for advertisement of Dove body wash showed a black woman removing her top to reveal a white woman. The post has created an outcry in social media for which the Unilever brand has faced a major public relations disaster. With many describing it as a racist ad, Dove has removed the post from its Facebook page, as per Reuters.
“Dove is committed to representing the beauty of diversity. In an image we posted this week, we missed the mark in thoughtfully representing women of color and we deeply regret the offense that it has caused. The feedback that has been shared is important to us and we’ll use it to guide us in the future,” Dove said while apologising in a Facebook post.
.@Dove admits it ‘missed the mark’ with whitewashing ad. #BoycottDove & @Unilever
Unacceptable!! https://t.co/KfFsLa3RR5 via @thedrum pic.twitter.com/pu9xD35bKr— Toya M. Jones (@MsToya1913) October 8, 2017
This issue isn’t just @dove_offiziell but @Uniliver. No respect = No support!#BoycottUnilever#BoycottDove@DAAWC @SocialIssueNews @Blavity pic.twitter.com/NLr7CgDl1q
— Veronica Wade ♋ (@VeeWade) October 9, 2017
While the post has been taken down by the company there are screenshots which are being circulated broadly online. According to Reuters, a hashtag #BoycottDove, was trending on Twitter which started over the weekend among US users. However, Dove in its statement has said, “The short video was intended to convey that Dove body wash is for every woman and be a celebration of diversity, but we got it wrong.”
.@dove This is what institutional/structural #racism looks like. I’ll be boycotting all of ur products https://t.co/t5fi5OPGBB #BoycottDove pic.twitter.com/YJ3dYxuiiA
— Sam Kemp-Jackson (@samkj27) October 8, 2017
My family and I have used your products for decades. The first incident in 2011 made me concerned. This was the last straw. #Boycottdove
— Andres Casson (@AndresCasson) October 8, 2017
Many including prominent people were critical of this ad, Hollywood director Ava DuVernay said “You can do better than ‘missed the mark.’ Flip + diminishing. Deepens your offense. You do good work. Have been for years. Do better here.” Fox Sports analyst Chris Broussard tweeted: “I’ll never use Dove soap again. #DonewithDove.” Natasha Mitchel, an Australian journalist, tweeted: “That’s it for me and your products. That’s up there with the creepiest advertising imagery ever.”