‘White like me’ advert grounds Dove
Body wash advertisement is a complete wash-out, but brand specialist says apologetic company is likely to survive unscathed amid calls to boycott the product
Many in the local advertising community on Monday were aghast at global beauty brand Dove’s huge public relations gaffe in posting an online advertisement showing a black woman removing her top to reveal a white woman in the next frame. But one leading brand expert said Dove will recover provided it keeps its nose clean in the coming months. While the parent company, the giant multinational Unilever has apologised, there were growing calls around the world and in South Africa to boycott the product. In the full video clip, a black woman removes her t-shirt to reveal a white woman, who then lifts her own top to reveal an Asian woman. A statement from Dove 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." Leading local brand expert Jeremy Sampson from Brand Finance said Dove would have learnt a salutary lesson from the incident. "We live in a highly sensitive and highly charged world right now ...
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Subscribe now to unlock this article.
Support BusinessLIVE’s award-winning journalism for R129 per month (digital access only).
There’s never been a more important time to support independent journalism in SA. Our subscription packages now offer an ad-free experience for readers.
Cancel anytime.
Questions? Email helpdesk@businesslive.co.za or call 0860 52 52 00. Got a subscription voucher? Redeem it now.