Dove’s ‘Racist’ Ad Angers People, And They Can’t Believe It Actually Happened In 2017
World-renowned soap company Dove is officially knees-deep in controversy, and it’s definitely not something that’s going to wash away. They’re being accused of racism after publishing an ad which shows a black woman taking off her shirt to reveal a white woman ‘underneath.’ Understandably, we’re all pretty confused as to how this made it out of the boardroom.
Dove was quick to pull the offending video, and has since apologized for ‘missing the mark’ on their representation of diversity. The damage is done, however, and hell hath no fury like an Internet scorned. People all over Twitter and other social media are calling BS on the company’s claimed ‘regret,’ and are comparing the ad to the infamous Pears’ Soap campaign from the 1800’s, which displayed black children being ‘scrubbed clean’ and turning white. Some are even calling for a boycott, highlighting previous problematic Dove commercials as further grounds.
“Dear Dove, I assure you us ‘women of colour’ have actual skin with colour, not a tan that you can remove. Thanks,” one user poignantly commented. Scroll down to see more reactions, and add your own voice at the end.
Dove recently launched a body wash ad that has people feeling just a little bit confused
You’ve probably guessed by now that people were raging
Even more embarrassingly, it seems that Dove is a repeat offender when it comes to offensive ads
People are even comparing Dove’s ads to the infamous Pears’ Soap campaign of the 1800’s
Dove pretty much had no option but to apologize
It wasn’t exactly accepted, however
Some argued that the whole thing was an honest mistake, and that people are overreacting
What’s the biggest issue here in your book? Tell us below!
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I am a black woman and I don't use Dove. I must say, I don't see how this ad is racist. Yes when I looked at the above picture I was like, "ok, there might be something here". But then I searched for and watched the video and ow, the white lady turns into a Mexican, is that racist too? I think sometimes people can be too sensitive or maybe they were affected by racism so bad that they see it everywhere and in anything. I may be wrong here but I thought Dove was trying to show that the soap can be used by any one for any skin color. I understand that there are racist people out there and that it is very bad and life threatening in some places, but to see racism in everything can't be right. But then again people are free to have their views. I
It's too bad that a lot of people aren't going to go find the ad to see for themselves, but just get angry at the out-of-context bit that has been presented to them.
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Exactly. That's why only the first sequence is shown. Because black -> white is racist and white -> Latina is no problem. White -> black is probably not a problem either. Sad that this culture of feeling offended by everything hardly ever tackles the roots of the issues we have with racism (positive AND negative)
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This ad is showing a black woman turn into a white woman and a white woman turn into a Hispanic woman. When will the world see this as a sign of unity, that we can all use dove soap...
Knowing our society now, probably never.
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Patricia Templeton, keep watching. The white girl pulls her shirt off to become mulatto. Does that mean Dove makes white girls Brown? Why no outrage over that part off the commercial?
The word mulatto is not used anymore. It's offensive in origin, and comes from "mule".
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People really have to stop seeing racism (and discrimination) in every single thing. The white woman turns into a hispanic woman but you hear nothing about that. And the old ad: before&after is about the pictures of skin, not the women... Just flip the ads around, hispanic-white-black, maybe then noone will get offended.... -_-
lol more nauseating b******t. I think people actively look for s**t to b***h about. Go get jobs or something. Fill up that free time.
"What’s the biggest issue here in your book?" I guess that is to assume that advertisments are usually well-thought out, mindful, and clever. They usually are not. (I often think "I do not want to buy this product" after watching an advertisment...not because it is offensive or I felt imtimidated by it in any way but simply because it is annoyingly stupid.)
Okay, we understand there is a lot of racism out there. There is also a lot of people who do not see people by the color of their skin but just as another person living on this earth. This Ad was definitely not racist. People need to stop blanket blaming and start holding people who wrong others personally responsible. Personal accountability and responsibility will be how we grow as a society IMO.
Well, the sequence also shows the white woman turning into a Latino woman, whyc is no one mentioning that? I think the ad was supposed to show that people with all skin colours can use the product. Unfortunately the format they chose appears to not fit the message for a lot of people. Also I think the Before/After ad being racist is a bit of a reach - it's pretty obvious the before/after is referring to the pictures of skin behind the women (before - cracked, after - smooth), not the women themselves.
Right?! The order of the women didn't matter! I swear people look for things to be offended by
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I think most of these advertisements are intentionally designed for creating a mass debate which in turn leads the advertisement being discussed and shared in millions of platforms which is what they want! Good or bad, publicity is the motive. (An apology mends it all anyway)
Unfortunately, people see the black woman turning white as being racist, but not the white person turning into a darker complexion as racist. If someone isn't a racially motivated person who specifically looks for things as being that way, they wouldn't even notice.
I was going to say "well, it's not a problem if it shows the white lady turning into someone else, which would signify that it's not a misguided black-to-white change" and GUESS F*****G WHAT? That's exactly what happened. People just made a fuss over what I assume is assumptions based on only seeing the first bit of the ad, or pictures someone posted of it.
I wonder if all the people saying that the advert is racist have actually watched it complete??? As in words and phrases this pictures are totally out of context. Before screaming and asking for blood, a little investigation wont kill you!!!
To everyone going crazy about this being racist: I understand. This was my first, flash initial reaction. But have you stopped to consider that maybe it's intended as a message of unity? Read other comments, as I am having trouble explaining. To everyone thinking this was misinterpreted: But the shirts? How does that fit in? It's not racist in itself, but really Dove? *Really?* Edit, several years later: I realize now that even if not intended, this could easily be interpreted as racist, and it should have been obvious to someone along the way. I'm not 100% where I stand on this, but I was way too young to be trying to draw conclusions on the internet like this, especially being condescending while I did! I'm so sorry!
How is this racist? It just shows, that it is a soap for every body- no matter skin colour... I dont her it...
No racism here, just people finding it where it doesn't exist. Just because you're offended doesn't mean you're right.
I always find it interesting when bored panda presents an article that clearly has bias, yet the general consensus of the comments take a different approach, and are critical and do more research about the subject, instead of blindly basing their opinions off of one article. It give me a little more faith in humanity.
Dear author, did you actually watch the full ad? Why do you feel the need to race-bait? Articles like this is what is driving the wedge, not Dove. Dove saw people, human women, YOU are the one who saw race. We are all the same race, human. Please don't post something like this again where the sole purpose is just to instigate.
It shows all types of women use Dove. I use it because I'm allergic to most soaps. I like how it makes my skin feel, how it's soft; I've not once in 30 some years ever seen it change color. Please stop trying to read the race card into everything on the damn planet. Do you see the Native Americans acting like this? The last time I checked there are NA still living on reservations. Still want to talk the race card?
WHAT IS THE BUG DEAL?! I ASKEDSHOWED A BLACK LADY BITH THESE ADS AND SHE JUST DIDN'T CARE! IT DID NOT AFFECT HER ONE BIT SHE SAID!
REALLY???? comparing this ad to an 1800's ad is very childish-- but speaking of how our society is now a days that's putting it mildly. GROW UP like for real gtfoh with all that racist s**t because if you actually took the time instead of wasting your lives to watch the original video for the ad it is NOT racist-- you all are taking their ad way out of context they honestly did not have to apologize- with all of the mass shootings, wars, and all the people losing their lives daily YOU want to waste yours by making nothing into something just for the likes, shares, and feedback to start a internet war. yall tripping like for real. I hate being a part of this society because every little thing turns into something that doesn't need to be-- WHY DONT YOU ALL just enjoy being alive because you only live once-
It's just saying it's good for all skin tones, being a white woman, am I supposed to be offended at the part where a white woman turns Mexican? Sorry, I am not.
I would like to conclude. I am a person. does it matter what color I am? ok dove probably did not realize that reverse racism would be a focal point in this add. WHO IN THEIR RIGHT MIND WOULD TAKE THIS IN ANY WAY BUT, "dove is not a discriminatory bar of soap, all people need to be clean." How did you take this? there is a white woman in all black women? OR DID YOU TAKE IT THE WAY IT WAS MEANT? no matter your color we all use soap. clearly ignorance is at its peak, if the African american woman agreed, there must have been a really good reason. since when do you look at ads and think, oh that's racist.....????? well i never saw a black man in the Budweiser commercials before 1999, are they racist? and when they did it was "WAZZUP campaign"... what about African Americans who fight for commercials to "HAVE TO SHOW A PERSON OF COLOR" in 1997. why fight for an equality that when you have it you say, "OH GOD, that's so racist" think before the world falls.
For those who haven't seen the complete ad. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GJssvw1LQbI
The second photo isn't racist. It's showing three women all out of the shower in towels. People see the "before" and "after" labels and shout "RACIST!!" When it's not, because if you actually LOOK you see that the before picture is dry skin, and the after picture is soft, hydrated skin. People need to use their eyes more.
Really? Crybaby country, everything is racist now, people is too sensitive these days, get a life, stop whining at everything, as a country you have real problems to solve...
There a whole history behind the problems people have with this. As there have been studies that prove what is hinted at here. But being in the climate we live in everything is being taken as racist. We need all be gray, but then there will always be a difference that will be pointed out. None of us is not prejudice. Then use only Caucasian people then, they would be excludung people of color. There is no win here. Bad choice in how the address was done yes. Racism no racism their wouldn't be any people of color in and of their ads like in the 50s, 60s.
controversy creates publicity. here we are talking about it aren't we. people also tend to remember it longer beacause it caused a stir. it's ingenious marketing albeit deceitful.
Racist? - no. Media manipulation? - yes, but not for being "racist". It's the Internet trolls who are driving this latest-in-a-line-of-many political correctness. Get over it, people.
It just shows that it works for ALL skin types. Its not racist at all. This racist act is boring now.
It just shows that dove works for ALL skin types. It not racial at all.
I think as long as black people are being killed and brutalized by police with no consequences for the police, and as long as being black means you're less likely to get a job or more likely to get paid less for the same work, seemly small stuff like this is going the continue to cause problems as well. The reason black people see things like this and react differently than say a white woman turning into a latino woman in the same commercial is that they are actually treated differently in significant ways in their everyday lives.
The outrage has obviously stemmed from those who have never watched the entire ad. Would those who have taken offense feel the same if a white woman took off her shirt to reveal a black woman? Well, I guess you'd get the offense coming from the other direction. As for 'what were they thinking?' they were thinking 'hey, how can we tap into the diversity movement to sell more of our products?'. The last thing they were thinking about was shutting out potential buyers. Their error, if there was one, was in their failure to expect that the easily offended would take offense.
Why would anyone think that skin colour has any bearing on soap type? Has anyone er thought, is this soap suitable for my dark/light skin? No! The fact that people can’t see the racism in using ‘normal’ to refer to light skin shows how deeply ingrained the racism sits. Shame we can’t find a soap to wash deep enough to get rid of this ingrained racism.
What about UEFA ad titled 'Respect' from few years ago? It has similar theme - one person removing T-shirt to reveal another person. Black to white? Racist! White to asian? Not racist at all. Female to male? Sexist! Seriously, it seems that people are actively searching for things to be offended by because their life is too bland without it.
Maybe Dove is saying Black or White or whatever we need to be clean....buy our soap ! To Hell with this Racist S**t... it's Soap people. SOAP.
I dont care!! I am black. Nothing is going to change that white people need to feel superior or better. I dont care about this bull s**t..lmao they are racist. so what will it change currently white people want the rest of us to thank them for allowing our existence. Thanks white folks keep showing what you are made of.
This article is misleading as the reactions caused by just one frame shown from an entire Ad which has to be watched in whole in order to realize there's no act of any racism in this Ad. Get your s**t together f*****g "jump first, think never" snowflakes.
Ads should not be confusing and this one is very confusing. The concept of people undressing to reveal another person underneath is strange anyway.
Bahahahahaha, I can only laugh at ignorance otherwise there's no reasoning with the unreasonable!
Come on now, really??? As someone said earlier, it would be nice if people saw this as a unity thing, which it very much is. Stop dividing people. There is absolutely no racism in this Dove commercial. Just stop now already.
People, watch the actual ad. It isn't meant to be racist, it's just meant to show that the product is made for people of all races. This was taken out of context and made to look racist.
One of the worst things here as far as I'm concerned is that a soap company isn't aware that this type of product has a long history of racist ads. You also don't seem to have any recollection of the old "mammy dolls" which were reversible...one head was white, and you flipped the doll upside down and the other end of the doll was their "mammy". If you are white and in charge of an advertising campaign that makes claims about diversity, you need to know these things. What you were saying was that Dove suits all different types of skin? Then say that. Or run the pitch by POC that are not employed by the company.
really????? comparing this ad to a 1800's ad is very childish and I feel sorry for all of you who think this is racist why don't you grow the hell up and watch the original video instead of wasting your life complaining and causing more b******t then there needs to be. With all of the mass shootings and wars and all of the people that are losing their lives daily and you want to waste yours? gtfoh like for real- I hate being apart of this society because this type of s**t keeps happening. like seriously
Cannot believe this past through the corporation offices, who the hell is in charge someone from the 50's or 60's They really had some winning ads back then.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/oct/10/i-am-woman-racist-dove-ad-not-a-victim
Okay it obviously is a black woman before, look at the nose and hair, but they shouldn't have had to make it that way, and now it is somewhat racist because of that
As a white woman i find that add very racist and demeaning to all humans no matter what the color of their skin. and why does the color of skin have to do with how we treat each other? we are all human.
Gee to the person on the tanning lotion.I guess you dont know the Summer glow is a self tanner type thing. The words normal to dark skin on the bottle has nothing to do with what your speaking of. Has to do with the tan color you desire. Since I wasn't and Im pretty sure it would be hard to find a person on here that was around for those Pears ads. Wonder who was the lovely person to stir that pot up. How many people have seen this whole ad on this other? Funny there is only this one snippet from it. Wheres the rest. Race baiters? Are we not all tired of this. We are all adults we dont need any help in knowing whos heart is in the right place. ♥
I saw the original ad. It was NOT racist. The women become other women, while wearing different earth tone colored shirts resembling the color scheme for the product. Not because this is racist, but because they are trying to show that their product is for all women. I HATE racism, period. But we really need to stop this garbage. You read racism into this, it never existed on it's own.
"Normal to dark skin?" Sorry Dove, dark skin was normal LONG before light skin became 'normal.' Homo Species evolved first in Africa, with dark skin. As people moved North, lighter skin became an adaptive advantage. We lighter-skinned people are newbies - newcomers. Dark skin was the first 'normal.' We are one race, one species, that comes in a variety of skin colors, and that's beautiful. Color doesn't wash off, lotions don't make it go away. Sun exposure (necessary for health) makes skin darker, as a protective function. We are the human race. There is no other. Trust me, I'm an anthropologist.
I am a white woman who will no longer use Dove products. I fought for Civil Rights in the 1960's and '70's and hoped things would be better by now for everyone.
Ok, so looking at the comments, it seems clear that Bored Panda should have shown the entire ad, cos, context is everything. So looks like Bored Panda are guilty of clickbaiting
So here is the deal, not everything is racist. If the woman switched from white to Hispanic after then clearly the point was we all have skin we all need to take care of it good for all skin types. But to say its racist when the white woman wasn't kept as the ideal image either. It was just a commercial that depicted cool graphics of women shedding thier skin and there being another woman underneath. I suppose if you are racist it might bother you that women were being portrayed as being the same really, a white woman inside a black woman a Hispanic woman inside a white woman. As a non racist I actually saw this more as saying we are all the same. But hey who am i to say......
Jeeez, this stuff will be flying off the shelves. Dove turns blacks into whites, black women will be killing each other to get this product before it runs out.
From now on all ads should be made using sticks figures drawn in purple color so as not to offend anyone, be it white, black, pink or green. Everyone deserves to be treated as a human.
So glad to see that some of us look at the whole picture for clear understanding and not let sensitivity rule. I did not find the ad offensive or racist. Unfortunate for the company that the sequence could be cropped to make it appear something that it was not.
If any one actually watched the stupid commercial. It goes from a Black woman to a White woman to a Latino woman to an Asian woman. So should I be calling Latinos racist now? NO! STOP making everything about race. Sorry to tell you this but. ITS NOT ALWAYS ABOUT YOU!
I am sur that the Dove advert was just showing the the soap is good for all skin types and nothing else. It just goes to show what the world is coming to when people turn this round to being racist..what about the make up that shows people of all countries using foundation that suits their skin types is that racist no it showing that there is make up for all skin types.
At the end of the day, we still have our own opinion on thing, but don't be "The Sheep", so to speak. Remember that "Yesterday is History, Tomorrow is a Mystery, but today is a Gift...". Not everyone will understand "This Commercial" the way it might have been attended to be understood. So don't be so dang Salty y'all
I don't get why they need to show how dove can be used by every skin color? Whats color got to do with skin health, anyway.Do products affect black skin differently than white skin? I'm white, when my skin is dry, it itches, and looks dry, I would assume the same happens to other color skins. Am I wrong? Better to show dry skin that gets silky.
I think whether or not the ad is racist dove should be more careful at how they present and frame their advertisements. The second print ad appears racist at first with the before and after on each side and it appears that the black turns to white but I think this wasn't the intention because the before skin is white.. although its something they should be more careful about when creating advertisements in an age when we are attempting to put racist mindsets of the past behind us
too much exaggerating here. don't get caught by this propaganda. and whats that with the normal to dark skill .... you are getting pathetic now.
and this is how someone shows you some news like they want to and provoke others to hate. this is the propaganda and using other people's stupidity to your advantage and to accomplish your goals. see how is done worldwide for everything?
Strange ad. I'm not quite sure what point they were trying to make. Why not do what other soap adds do, show someone with little to no make-up on and then when he/she is cleaned by the magic soap, shampoo, body-wash or whatever, then their taller, hair is combed or brushed, teeth are clean and bright and it looks like a professional make-up artist (which it was) did their make-up.
Yeah from the initial picture, I thought, WTF? However after actually watching the advert, I'm confused. Really people?! It's the Black woman turning into a white woman, that has got y'all tripping, hu.? I saw soap, simply soap, advertising it's diversity in regards to skin type. The "For normal to dark skin" however, has got me fkukt. WTF is that about? Terrible, I hope they meant 'DRY!' 😂 So DOVE, what is normal? Please tell us... 'From Rainbow to dark.' 'From Pearlescent to dark.' Ohh 😜, 'From Glowing green to dark.' 😅 Farcical.
People need to get over themselves, and stop looking for anything that might be "possibly" racist. I can maybe see a little something wrong with the first ad, but still, the white woman turns into a latino woman, so is that racist? Also, how in any way is the second ad racist. There is a before and after picture of what your skin looks like when you use dove, and there are 3 models standing in front of it. That's it. Sorry they're not standing in your preferred perfect order. People get too butthurt nowadays.
Once again the 'fake press' at work. What they don't show you is after the white woman is a Latin American woman. What dove are trying to potray here is you can use your products on any skin type. I asked my partner a school teacher and she is way on top of the pc thing and says she did not find it racist in the slightest because as I say shows all skin types. The media now want you to perceive things one way ... there way and give you this idea that white people are somehow the bad ones in society. Yes there is genuine racism out there but it is often on both sides and this is nevery potrayed othere than one way. If we look at all the soaps and stuff that is out there you'd honestly think if you were an alien the whites like myself are bad people and I refuse to accept this. And no I'm not a old dinasour I'm 29 and I think it's time the biased press started realising that the British people are sick of 'fake racism' and should focus on the real racism like terror attacks etc
I don't see it.....people, you have too much time on your hands. Get a FREAKIN life.
This is one of those BP articles that perplex me insofar as to how do I vote?? Upvote?? Or, downvote?
Even if it wasn't on purpose, they should have known better. Sure, even a negative publicity is a publicity - and so they actually did hit the mark in that regard. But I will ignore them from now on, I am completely not into ambiguous messages which just take it as a factored collateral damage that someone might get hurt.
Perhaps if the whole advert was show, instead of misleadingly only showing the black to white change, then you would see that the advert is NOT racist at all. Also the one where 3 women are standing together in front of before/after skin pictures isn't racist in any way either. I'm sure some go out of their way to see racism where there is none.
If you always think of yourself as a victim, you will always be a victim.
Idiots, that's the problem, stop virtue signaling and race baiting you pathetic scum.
Get over it people-there are more important issues too solve..........
So many haters yell "racism" on a daily basis. I agree with Chris... there is nothing racist about this ad. It is simply saying that it is good for all skin types and colors. Grow up people. Quit your whining and move on with life.
Yet nobody complained when Michael Jackson did that in Black or White. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ZHtL7CirJA
To those who say that its not racist... please help me understand why they couldn't just use the same woman - before and after?
I don't usually call things racist or get offended by things. But, this.....this IS bad. I'm sorry but...what??
Holy c**p, seriously. Holy. C**p. I just can't believe how stupid this company was.
Absolute idiots. Anyone that sees this ad as racist is delusional. All ye SJW's, (so called) feminists, general grumpy shits & losers need to get a life. Move on. Focus on the real issues in life, not your perception of an image. But you know what? Even if it was racist, you fools have made this go viral. Remember the old saying, there's no such thing as bad publicity.
People are getting to soft... Maybe they should get rid of Dove products.
I believe the company was trying, badly, to show the diversity of their product. I think it is a safe bet that there were no black members in the group that approved it. It isn't clear. Realistically, how long will it be before Pandas are described as, "Black and that other colour" If you look for offence you will always find it, intentional or not.
In my opinion, this not a matter of people getting "easily offended." I understand that not EVERYTHING involving a black person and white person is racist. I can also can see the effort put in to create a diverse ad, but that DOES NOT change the fact that this is racist! The way I look at it Dove is comparing dark skin to dirty skin and comparing white skin the clean skin, which is an analogy often used to symbolize superiority. Although that is NOT the message Dove was trying to get across, it was the message received. I do not believe Dove is a racist brand but I also believe that this DOES NOT justifies the content of this ad. I apologize if you disagree with me but I thought it was important to share my opinion. Now all that's left to do is wait for the comments to destroy me.
I will never use Dove products - any Dove products - again. Your flip response to such a disgusting and blatantly racist ad is unforgivable. Everyone who touched this ad, and passed it on should be fired.
Dove, Dove, Dove. This dirty act can't be washed away with any soap!
Funny that only one part of the commercial is shown and called racist. Ppl these days are oversensitive.
im seeing both sides of this. the ad as presented HERE is misleading however Dove really didn't proof their full ad well enough. Skin color should have nothing to do with using soap. If they were trying to be inclusive then 1 person changing into anything other than a softer skinned themselves can AND WILL come across with the wrong message.
Wow, it's almost as if they know they'd get a ton of free publicity for doing this. Who'd have thunk?
I am not now nor have I ever, been a 'person of color' and IM offended by this Ad. I wouldnt even define it as "subliminal messaging" because its SO BLATANT. It just further divides us. And please Dove Corp., dont even try to tell us it was an over-sight. Ads are very carefully crafted for effect . . . its what made Madison Avenue rich and famous. This was done to cause strife & to keep the masses divided. Madison Avenue is the propaganda arm of "the shadow government."
I wish I could see the entire advertisement, but I can't find it anywhere.
I haven't looked at the new one closely enough to form an opinion either way. I will say that the ad with the three women that the article says is proof they've done it before...... come on. Look at the ad and you clearly see that the wall behind them shows dry skin before and smoother skin after. NOTHING to do with color, it actually saying good for all skin types. Other countries must sit with popcorn and enjoy watching the U.S. fight amongst ourselves. I find it very sad
the bottom line is no one has a right to tell people what the can or can not be offended by. If people say they are offended then they are offended. If enough people are offended than the company has a problem.
I just thought it meant it was a good product for everyone, I don't see these racist tones in everything I see on TV or internet until someone points it out to me. Is there something wrong with me? Or do I just see it as everyone is the same? I'd like to try a product that everyone liked to use.
I have no problem with the ad, but the black girl could have turned into an hispanic girl, the hispanic girl into an asian girl, and the asian girl into a white girl. No racist accusations, the point is clear and everyone's happy. All it takes is a little more thought.
🙄People always trying to find reasons to be offended. You should look at some REAL racist ads from the 1900s.
People are just looking for stuff to say "I'm offended " I saw nothing wrong with it. Oh maybe if YOU'RE racist that's just how you will view everything.
People misunderstand things. Anyone can feel offended by anything. We shouldn't let things get to our emotions. People should be more happy instead of thinking everything is racist because everything is not racist. We are all human and are not a color. Love you all.
Had only seen this on the periphery, but, in context, have to wonder if the ad campaign was outsourced to 6 year olds who just didn't know better. Or, if, perhaps the entire company, from the ad team, to those who approved it, to the actors, to those who shot the commercial, were just all on a couple weeks long bender. We're beyond racist, and into Monumental Stupidity territory.
Maube Dove weren't aware of how it looks like to other people when they came up with that idea. I mean, yeah may looks like some ads are racist but haven't other brands done that too? It's bot like EVERY brand is perfect and never makes mistakes. Also they apologised for their mistake. I don't know why y'all complaining. Haven't yo had ever an idea, wanted it to spread it out and later realised it was a mistake? Or said something inappropriate by mistake? They're humans to.
I am a white woman, and I use Dove.. and I am not offended even though their commercial tells me that I then originally is a black woman.. It's just funny. Nothing else.
I never did use dove soap, but why do women need to be exploited to sell it?
Its not even only 2 times dove has done this, they do it over and over again.
To the white people who are responding that they don't see anything racist about this ad, I suggest that you listen to what people of color are saying before you make up your mind.
I believe this is a marketing scheme. Look at all the advertising now. hahaha. People need to get over themselves. And I also believe that it's perception that throws this all off. It's a racist ad if that's how you choose to see it.
I am here with my mouth wide open. I cannot believe that this commercial even made it off the paper it was created on. If, in fact, it was supposed to mean for use on any skin types, then begininng with black and then becoming white was a bad idea. #Dove, skin is skin. We all have it.
Wow, I'm white as Hell and this ad is the most Ignorant sh@t I've ever seen, no way of getting around it!
Amazing that some people are tone deaf to racial insensitivity. The not so subliminal message is clear, use Dove soap and be white. The ad could have been constructed in a manner to say, everyone is beautiful in their skin with Dove. It does not do that. A very sad story I heard told by an adult Native American, here mother scrubbed her in bleach water weekly in hopes of lightening her skin. It was not to make her more beautiful it was to make her child safe from bigots. Maybe we do have to fight the white supremacy thing again. People, well meaning do not understand where we have been with this issue. More so, they do not understand where the "alt-right" is attempting to return to.
So the other racist subliminal message is that if you are white and use this soap, your skin will turn darker and you'll become a latina? Or it only matters when it's from dark to white? Why take out just one bit of the add and not see the entire thing as a whole? Almost everything can be interpreted as racist if it's taken out of context... all it takes is just a little bit of imagination. But why do people to this?
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It's sad. Because the biggest racist nowadays are not white people. That is a simple true.
Come to Louisiana, you may rethink that assessment
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I am an older white female and I find this ad inexcusably offensive! I am boycotting dove products forever...they aren't all that anyway. Signed White and Furious
In other news my dad used a bar of Dove soap that had a small rock in it. Leading him to start bleeding from scratches from scrubbing it on his chest...who finds a rock in a bar of soap!!!
Yeah, it's racist. Perhaps that isn't what they intended but clearly they didn't show this to a group of consumers before posting - I'd like to think they'd have been clobbered if they had!
I surely hope I had a girlfriend that could change ethnic trait by changing short, in variety you find pleasure. Afro, hispanic or caucassian, they are all beautiful.
This is pretty bad to be honest because of the implication that black people are "dirty" and that being white is superior. I know that this was part of a larger campaign and not the intent but they really should have known better.
No one would have had a problem with it if the white woman 'turned' black. Or if the black woman 'turned' anything but white. I fully understand why people are upset, but the screenshot takes the advert out of context. Also their 'second' racist ad also probably wouldn't have offended anyone if the women were in a different order. Whilst racial issue are deeply important, the anger over this one tiny advert seems to have been blown vastly out of proportion considering the strong feminist messages Dove is usually known for. The main issue here.... Dove need a marketing team with a little more common sense.
Okay, people are just bandwagoning on this for their own agendas, people love to catch others... I don't know what kind of disease that is... certainly, the original ad could be interpreted poorly IF YOU WANT IT TO BE. As far as "for light to dark skin"... why is that racist? And if it is, why isn't racist against light skin too?
I do see my mistake here, it does say normal, not light... still, I feel it's looking for something to be pissy about. Although, that would be an easy adjustment for Unilever to make. It's all perspective, and perspective is something you can choose. If you want to think bad of them, you will.
Load More Replies... Maybe it was just an innocent mistake, trying to show that everybody can use their soap (I was impressed by how smoothly the images transitioned). But they really should have been more careful, more sensitive.
True, it could have been accidental however if the ad meant to also visually impress on the viewers that its for all* skin tones: by matching the women with shirt color and hairstyle... I did notice the ad could* have at least done better with all matching hairstyle too, but no.. Whatever it is, the advert still shows that its for all skin colors nevermind.
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So how about going from white to latina... is that ok? Does the soap imply that the white woman will get darker if using the soap?
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So what do you think they mean by turning the white girl into hispanic?
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I am a black woman and I don't use Dove. I must say, I don't see how this ad is racist. Yes when I looked at the above picture I was like, "ok, there might be something here". But then I searched for and watched the video and ow, the white lady turns into a Mexican, is that racist too? I think sometimes people can be too sensitive or maybe they were affected by racism so bad that they see it everywhere and in anything. I may be wrong here but I thought Dove was trying to show that the soap can be used by any one for any skin color. I understand that there are racist people out there and that it is very bad and life threatening in some places, but to see racism in everything can't be right. But then again people are free to have their views. I
It's too bad that a lot of people aren't going to go find the ad to see for themselves, but just get angry at the out-of-context bit that has been presented to them.
Load More Replies... Exactly. That's why only the first sequence is shown. Because black -> white is racist and white -> Latina is no problem. White -> black is probably not a problem either. Sad that this culture of feeling offended by everything hardly ever tackles the roots of the issues we have with racism (positive AND negative)
Load More Replies... This ad is showing a black woman turn into a white woman and a white woman turn into a Hispanic woman. When will the world see this as a sign of unity, that we can all use dove soap...
Knowing our society now, probably never.
Load More Replies... Patricia Templeton, keep watching. The white girl pulls her shirt off to become mulatto. Does that mean Dove makes white girls Brown? Why no outrage over that part off the commercial?
The word mulatto is not used anymore. It's offensive in origin, and comes from "mule".
Load More Replies... People really have to stop seeing racism (and discrimination) in every single thing. The white woman turns into a hispanic woman but you hear nothing about that. And the old ad: before&after is about the pictures of skin, not the women... Just flip the ads around, hispanic-white-black, maybe then noone will get offended.... -_-
lol more nauseating b******t. I think people actively look for s**t to b***h about. Go get jobs or something. Fill up that free time.
"What’s the biggest issue here in your book?" I guess that is to assume that advertisments are usually well-thought out, mindful, and clever. They usually are not. (I often think "I do not want to buy this product" after watching an advertisment...not because it is offensive or I felt imtimidated by it in any way but simply because it is annoyingly stupid.)
Okay, we understand there is a lot of racism out there. There is also a lot of people who do not see people by the color of their skin but just as another person living on this earth. This Ad was definitely not racist. People need to stop blanket blaming and start holding people who wrong others personally responsible. Personal accountability and responsibility will be how we grow as a society IMO.
Well, the sequence also shows the white woman turning into a Latino woman, whyc is no one mentioning that? I think the ad was supposed to show that people with all skin colours can use the product. Unfortunately the format they chose appears to not fit the message for a lot of people. Also I think the Before/After ad being racist is a bit of a reach - it's pretty obvious the before/after is referring to the pictures of skin behind the women (before - cracked, after - smooth), not the women themselves.
Right?! The order of the women didn't matter! I swear people look for things to be offended by
Load More Replies... I think most of these advertisements are intentionally designed for creating a mass debate which in turn leads the advertisement being discussed and shared in millions of platforms which is what they want! Good or bad, publicity is the motive. (An apology mends it all anyway)
Unfortunately, people see the black woman turning white as being racist, but not the white person turning into a darker complexion as racist. If someone isn't a racially motivated person who specifically looks for things as being that way, they wouldn't even notice.
I was going to say "well, it's not a problem if it shows the white lady turning into someone else, which would signify that it's not a misguided black-to-white change" and GUESS F*****G WHAT? That's exactly what happened. People just made a fuss over what I assume is assumptions based on only seeing the first bit of the ad, or pictures someone posted of it.
I wonder if all the people saying that the advert is racist have actually watched it complete??? As in words and phrases this pictures are totally out of context. Before screaming and asking for blood, a little investigation wont kill you!!!
To everyone going crazy about this being racist: I understand. This was my first, flash initial reaction. But have you stopped to consider that maybe it's intended as a message of unity? Read other comments, as I am having trouble explaining. To everyone thinking this was misinterpreted: But the shirts? How does that fit in? It's not racist in itself, but really Dove? *Really?* Edit, several years later: I realize now that even if not intended, this could easily be interpreted as racist, and it should have been obvious to someone along the way. I'm not 100% where I stand on this, but I was way too young to be trying to draw conclusions on the internet like this, especially being condescending while I did! I'm so sorry!
How is this racist? It just shows, that it is a soap for every body- no matter skin colour... I dont her it...
No racism here, just people finding it where it doesn't exist. Just because you're offended doesn't mean you're right.
I always find it interesting when bored panda presents an article that clearly has bias, yet the general consensus of the comments take a different approach, and are critical and do more research about the subject, instead of blindly basing their opinions off of one article. It give me a little more faith in humanity.
Dear author, did you actually watch the full ad? Why do you feel the need to race-bait? Articles like this is what is driving the wedge, not Dove. Dove saw people, human women, YOU are the one who saw race. We are all the same race, human. Please don't post something like this again where the sole purpose is just to instigate.
It shows all types of women use Dove. I use it because I'm allergic to most soaps. I like how it makes my skin feel, how it's soft; I've not once in 30 some years ever seen it change color. Please stop trying to read the race card into everything on the damn planet. Do you see the Native Americans acting like this? The last time I checked there are NA still living on reservations. Still want to talk the race card?
WHAT IS THE BUG DEAL?! I ASKEDSHOWED A BLACK LADY BITH THESE ADS AND SHE JUST DIDN'T CARE! IT DID NOT AFFECT HER ONE BIT SHE SAID!
REALLY???? comparing this ad to an 1800's ad is very childish-- but speaking of how our society is now a days that's putting it mildly. GROW UP like for real gtfoh with all that racist s**t because if you actually took the time instead of wasting your lives to watch the original video for the ad it is NOT racist-- you all are taking their ad way out of context they honestly did not have to apologize- with all of the mass shootings, wars, and all the people losing their lives daily YOU want to waste yours by making nothing into something just for the likes, shares, and feedback to start a internet war. yall tripping like for real. I hate being a part of this society because every little thing turns into something that doesn't need to be-- WHY DONT YOU ALL just enjoy being alive because you only live once-
It's just saying it's good for all skin tones, being a white woman, am I supposed to be offended at the part where a white woman turns Mexican? Sorry, I am not.
I would like to conclude. I am a person. does it matter what color I am? ok dove probably did not realize that reverse racism would be a focal point in this add. WHO IN THEIR RIGHT MIND WOULD TAKE THIS IN ANY WAY BUT, "dove is not a discriminatory bar of soap, all people need to be clean." How did you take this? there is a white woman in all black women? OR DID YOU TAKE IT THE WAY IT WAS MEANT? no matter your color we all use soap. clearly ignorance is at its peak, if the African american woman agreed, there must have been a really good reason. since when do you look at ads and think, oh that's racist.....????? well i never saw a black man in the Budweiser commercials before 1999, are they racist? and when they did it was "WAZZUP campaign"... what about African Americans who fight for commercials to "HAVE TO SHOW A PERSON OF COLOR" in 1997. why fight for an equality that when you have it you say, "OH GOD, that's so racist" think before the world falls.
For those who haven't seen the complete ad. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GJssvw1LQbI
The second photo isn't racist. It's showing three women all out of the shower in towels. People see the "before" and "after" labels and shout "RACIST!!" When it's not, because if you actually LOOK you see that the before picture is dry skin, and the after picture is soft, hydrated skin. People need to use their eyes more.
Really? Crybaby country, everything is racist now, people is too sensitive these days, get a life, stop whining at everything, as a country you have real problems to solve...
There a whole history behind the problems people have with this. As there have been studies that prove what is hinted at here. But being in the climate we live in everything is being taken as racist. We need all be gray, but then there will always be a difference that will be pointed out. None of us is not prejudice. Then use only Caucasian people then, they would be excludung people of color. There is no win here. Bad choice in how the address was done yes. Racism no racism their wouldn't be any people of color in and of their ads like in the 50s, 60s.
controversy creates publicity. here we are talking about it aren't we. people also tend to remember it longer beacause it caused a stir. it's ingenious marketing albeit deceitful.
Racist? - no. Media manipulation? - yes, but not for being "racist". It's the Internet trolls who are driving this latest-in-a-line-of-many political correctness. Get over it, people.
It just shows that it works for ALL skin types. Its not racist at all. This racist act is boring now.
It just shows that dove works for ALL skin types. It not racial at all.
I think as long as black people are being killed and brutalized by police with no consequences for the police, and as long as being black means you're less likely to get a job or more likely to get paid less for the same work, seemly small stuff like this is going the continue to cause problems as well. The reason black people see things like this and react differently than say a white woman turning into a latino woman in the same commercial is that they are actually treated differently in significant ways in their everyday lives.
The outrage has obviously stemmed from those who have never watched the entire ad. Would those who have taken offense feel the same if a white woman took off her shirt to reveal a black woman? Well, I guess you'd get the offense coming from the other direction. As for 'what were they thinking?' they were thinking 'hey, how can we tap into the diversity movement to sell more of our products?'. The last thing they were thinking about was shutting out potential buyers. Their error, if there was one, was in their failure to expect that the easily offended would take offense.
Why would anyone think that skin colour has any bearing on soap type? Has anyone er thought, is this soap suitable for my dark/light skin? No! The fact that people can’t see the racism in using ‘normal’ to refer to light skin shows how deeply ingrained the racism sits. Shame we can’t find a soap to wash deep enough to get rid of this ingrained racism.
What about UEFA ad titled 'Respect' from few years ago? It has similar theme - one person removing T-shirt to reveal another person. Black to white? Racist! White to asian? Not racist at all. Female to male? Sexist! Seriously, it seems that people are actively searching for things to be offended by because their life is too bland without it.
Maybe Dove is saying Black or White or whatever we need to be clean....buy our soap ! To Hell with this Racist S**t... it's Soap people. SOAP.
I dont care!! I am black. Nothing is going to change that white people need to feel superior or better. I dont care about this bull s**t..lmao they are racist. so what will it change currently white people want the rest of us to thank them for allowing our existence. Thanks white folks keep showing what you are made of.
This article is misleading as the reactions caused by just one frame shown from an entire Ad which has to be watched in whole in order to realize there's no act of any racism in this Ad. Get your s**t together f*****g "jump first, think never" snowflakes.
Ads should not be confusing and this one is very confusing. The concept of people undressing to reveal another person underneath is strange anyway.
Bahahahahaha, I can only laugh at ignorance otherwise there's no reasoning with the unreasonable!
Come on now, really??? As someone said earlier, it would be nice if people saw this as a unity thing, which it very much is. Stop dividing people. There is absolutely no racism in this Dove commercial. Just stop now already.
People, watch the actual ad. It isn't meant to be racist, it's just meant to show that the product is made for people of all races. This was taken out of context and made to look racist.
One of the worst things here as far as I'm concerned is that a soap company isn't aware that this type of product has a long history of racist ads. You also don't seem to have any recollection of the old "mammy dolls" which were reversible...one head was white, and you flipped the doll upside down and the other end of the doll was their "mammy". If you are white and in charge of an advertising campaign that makes claims about diversity, you need to know these things. What you were saying was that Dove suits all different types of skin? Then say that. Or run the pitch by POC that are not employed by the company.
really????? comparing this ad to a 1800's ad is very childish and I feel sorry for all of you who think this is racist why don't you grow the hell up and watch the original video instead of wasting your life complaining and causing more b******t then there needs to be. With all of the mass shootings and wars and all of the people that are losing their lives daily and you want to waste yours? gtfoh like for real- I hate being apart of this society because this type of s**t keeps happening. like seriously
Cannot believe this past through the corporation offices, who the hell is in charge someone from the 50's or 60's They really had some winning ads back then.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/oct/10/i-am-woman-racist-dove-ad-not-a-victim
Okay it obviously is a black woman before, look at the nose and hair, but they shouldn't have had to make it that way, and now it is somewhat racist because of that
As a white woman i find that add very racist and demeaning to all humans no matter what the color of their skin. and why does the color of skin have to do with how we treat each other? we are all human.
Gee to the person on the tanning lotion.I guess you dont know the Summer glow is a self tanner type thing. The words normal to dark skin on the bottle has nothing to do with what your speaking of. Has to do with the tan color you desire. Since I wasn't and Im pretty sure it would be hard to find a person on here that was around for those Pears ads. Wonder who was the lovely person to stir that pot up. How many people have seen this whole ad on this other? Funny there is only this one snippet from it. Wheres the rest. Race baiters? Are we not all tired of this. We are all adults we dont need any help in knowing whos heart is in the right place. ♥
I saw the original ad. It was NOT racist. The women become other women, while wearing different earth tone colored shirts resembling the color scheme for the product. Not because this is racist, but because they are trying to show that their product is for all women. I HATE racism, period. But we really need to stop this garbage. You read racism into this, it never existed on it's own.
"Normal to dark skin?" Sorry Dove, dark skin was normal LONG before light skin became 'normal.' Homo Species evolved first in Africa, with dark skin. As people moved North, lighter skin became an adaptive advantage. We lighter-skinned people are newbies - newcomers. Dark skin was the first 'normal.' We are one race, one species, that comes in a variety of skin colors, and that's beautiful. Color doesn't wash off, lotions don't make it go away. Sun exposure (necessary for health) makes skin darker, as a protective function. We are the human race. There is no other. Trust me, I'm an anthropologist.
I am a white woman who will no longer use Dove products. I fought for Civil Rights in the 1960's and '70's and hoped things would be better by now for everyone.
Ok, so looking at the comments, it seems clear that Bored Panda should have shown the entire ad, cos, context is everything. So looks like Bored Panda are guilty of clickbaiting
So here is the deal, not everything is racist. If the woman switched from white to Hispanic after then clearly the point was we all have skin we all need to take care of it good for all skin types. But to say its racist when the white woman wasn't kept as the ideal image either. It was just a commercial that depicted cool graphics of women shedding thier skin and there being another woman underneath. I suppose if you are racist it might bother you that women were being portrayed as being the same really, a white woman inside a black woman a Hispanic woman inside a white woman. As a non racist I actually saw this more as saying we are all the same. But hey who am i to say......
Jeeez, this stuff will be flying off the shelves. Dove turns blacks into whites, black women will be killing each other to get this product before it runs out.
From now on all ads should be made using sticks figures drawn in purple color so as not to offend anyone, be it white, black, pink or green. Everyone deserves to be treated as a human.
So glad to see that some of us look at the whole picture for clear understanding and not let sensitivity rule. I did not find the ad offensive or racist. Unfortunate for the company that the sequence could be cropped to make it appear something that it was not.
If any one actually watched the stupid commercial. It goes from a Black woman to a White woman to a Latino woman to an Asian woman. So should I be calling Latinos racist now? NO! STOP making everything about race. Sorry to tell you this but. ITS NOT ALWAYS ABOUT YOU!
I am sur that the Dove advert was just showing the the soap is good for all skin types and nothing else. It just goes to show what the world is coming to when people turn this round to being racist..what about the make up that shows people of all countries using foundation that suits their skin types is that racist no it showing that there is make up for all skin types.
At the end of the day, we still have our own opinion on thing, but don't be "The Sheep", so to speak. Remember that "Yesterday is History, Tomorrow is a Mystery, but today is a Gift...". Not everyone will understand "This Commercial" the way it might have been attended to be understood. So don't be so dang Salty y'all
I don't get why they need to show how dove can be used by every skin color? Whats color got to do with skin health, anyway.Do products affect black skin differently than white skin? I'm white, when my skin is dry, it itches, and looks dry, I would assume the same happens to other color skins. Am I wrong? Better to show dry skin that gets silky.
I think whether or not the ad is racist dove should be more careful at how they present and frame their advertisements. The second print ad appears racist at first with the before and after on each side and it appears that the black turns to white but I think this wasn't the intention because the before skin is white.. although its something they should be more careful about when creating advertisements in an age when we are attempting to put racist mindsets of the past behind us
too much exaggerating here. don't get caught by this propaganda. and whats that with the normal to dark skill .... you are getting pathetic now.
and this is how someone shows you some news like they want to and provoke others to hate. this is the propaganda and using other people's stupidity to your advantage and to accomplish your goals. see how is done worldwide for everything?
Strange ad. I'm not quite sure what point they were trying to make. Why not do what other soap adds do, show someone with little to no make-up on and then when he/she is cleaned by the magic soap, shampoo, body-wash or whatever, then their taller, hair is combed or brushed, teeth are clean and bright and it looks like a professional make-up artist (which it was) did their make-up.
Yeah from the initial picture, I thought, WTF? However after actually watching the advert, I'm confused. Really people?! It's the Black woman turning into a white woman, that has got y'all tripping, hu.? I saw soap, simply soap, advertising it's diversity in regards to skin type. The "For normal to dark skin" however, has got me fkukt. WTF is that about? Terrible, I hope they meant 'DRY!' 😂 So DOVE, what is normal? Please tell us... 'From Rainbow to dark.' 'From Pearlescent to dark.' Ohh 😜, 'From Glowing green to dark.' 😅 Farcical.
People need to get over themselves, and stop looking for anything that might be "possibly" racist. I can maybe see a little something wrong with the first ad, but still, the white woman turns into a latino woman, so is that racist? Also, how in any way is the second ad racist. There is a before and after picture of what your skin looks like when you use dove, and there are 3 models standing in front of it. That's it. Sorry they're not standing in your preferred perfect order. People get too butthurt nowadays.
Once again the 'fake press' at work. What they don't show you is after the white woman is a Latin American woman. What dove are trying to potray here is you can use your products on any skin type. I asked my partner a school teacher and she is way on top of the pc thing and says she did not find it racist in the slightest because as I say shows all skin types. The media now want you to perceive things one way ... there way and give you this idea that white people are somehow the bad ones in society. Yes there is genuine racism out there but it is often on both sides and this is nevery potrayed othere than one way. If we look at all the soaps and stuff that is out there you'd honestly think if you were an alien the whites like myself are bad people and I refuse to accept this. And no I'm not a old dinasour I'm 29 and I think it's time the biased press started realising that the British people are sick of 'fake racism' and should focus on the real racism like terror attacks etc
I don't see it.....people, you have too much time on your hands. Get a FREAKIN life.
This is one of those BP articles that perplex me insofar as to how do I vote?? Upvote?? Or, downvote?
Even if it wasn't on purpose, they should have known better. Sure, even a negative publicity is a publicity - and so they actually did hit the mark in that regard. But I will ignore them from now on, I am completely not into ambiguous messages which just take it as a factored collateral damage that someone might get hurt.
Perhaps if the whole advert was show, instead of misleadingly only showing the black to white change, then you would see that the advert is NOT racist at all. Also the one where 3 women are standing together in front of before/after skin pictures isn't racist in any way either. I'm sure some go out of their way to see racism where there is none.
If you always think of yourself as a victim, you will always be a victim.
Idiots, that's the problem, stop virtue signaling and race baiting you pathetic scum.
Get over it people-there are more important issues too solve..........
So many haters yell "racism" on a daily basis. I agree with Chris... there is nothing racist about this ad. It is simply saying that it is good for all skin types and colors. Grow up people. Quit your whining and move on with life.
Yet nobody complained when Michael Jackson did that in Black or White. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ZHtL7CirJA
To those who say that its not racist... please help me understand why they couldn't just use the same woman - before and after?
I don't usually call things racist or get offended by things. But, this.....this IS bad. I'm sorry but...what??
Holy c**p, seriously. Holy. C**p. I just can't believe how stupid this company was.
Absolute idiots. Anyone that sees this ad as racist is delusional. All ye SJW's, (so called) feminists, general grumpy shits & losers need to get a life. Move on. Focus on the real issues in life, not your perception of an image. But you know what? Even if it was racist, you fools have made this go viral. Remember the old saying, there's no such thing as bad publicity.
People are getting to soft... Maybe they should get rid of Dove products.
I believe the company was trying, badly, to show the diversity of their product. I think it is a safe bet that there were no black members in the group that approved it. It isn't clear. Realistically, how long will it be before Pandas are described as, "Black and that other colour" If you look for offence you will always find it, intentional or not.
In my opinion, this not a matter of people getting "easily offended." I understand that not EVERYTHING involving a black person and white person is racist. I can also can see the effort put in to create a diverse ad, but that DOES NOT change the fact that this is racist! The way I look at it Dove is comparing dark skin to dirty skin and comparing white skin the clean skin, which is an analogy often used to symbolize superiority. Although that is NOT the message Dove was trying to get across, it was the message received. I do not believe Dove is a racist brand but I also believe that this DOES NOT justifies the content of this ad. I apologize if you disagree with me but I thought it was important to share my opinion. Now all that's left to do is wait for the comments to destroy me.
I will never use Dove products - any Dove products - again. Your flip response to such a disgusting and blatantly racist ad is unforgivable. Everyone who touched this ad, and passed it on should be fired.
Dove, Dove, Dove. This dirty act can't be washed away with any soap!
Funny that only one part of the commercial is shown and called racist. Ppl these days are oversensitive.
im seeing both sides of this. the ad as presented HERE is misleading however Dove really didn't proof their full ad well enough. Skin color should have nothing to do with using soap. If they were trying to be inclusive then 1 person changing into anything other than a softer skinned themselves can AND WILL come across with the wrong message.
Wow, it's almost as if they know they'd get a ton of free publicity for doing this. Who'd have thunk?
I am not now nor have I ever, been a 'person of color' and IM offended by this Ad. I wouldnt even define it as "subliminal messaging" because its SO BLATANT. It just further divides us. And please Dove Corp., dont even try to tell us it was an over-sight. Ads are very carefully crafted for effect . . . its what made Madison Avenue rich and famous. This was done to cause strife & to keep the masses divided. Madison Avenue is the propaganda arm of "the shadow government."
I wish I could see the entire advertisement, but I can't find it anywhere.
I haven't looked at the new one closely enough to form an opinion either way. I will say that the ad with the three women that the article says is proof they've done it before...... come on. Look at the ad and you clearly see that the wall behind them shows dry skin before and smoother skin after. NOTHING to do with color, it actually saying good for all skin types. Other countries must sit with popcorn and enjoy watching the U.S. fight amongst ourselves. I find it very sad
the bottom line is no one has a right to tell people what the can or can not be offended by. If people say they are offended then they are offended. If enough people are offended than the company has a problem.
I just thought it meant it was a good product for everyone, I don't see these racist tones in everything I see on TV or internet until someone points it out to me. Is there something wrong with me? Or do I just see it as everyone is the same? I'd like to try a product that everyone liked to use.
I have no problem with the ad, but the black girl could have turned into an hispanic girl, the hispanic girl into an asian girl, and the asian girl into a white girl. No racist accusations, the point is clear and everyone's happy. All it takes is a little more thought.
🙄People always trying to find reasons to be offended. You should look at some REAL racist ads from the 1900s.
People are just looking for stuff to say "I'm offended " I saw nothing wrong with it. Oh maybe if YOU'RE racist that's just how you will view everything.
People misunderstand things. Anyone can feel offended by anything. We shouldn't let things get to our emotions. People should be more happy instead of thinking everything is racist because everything is not racist. We are all human and are not a color. Love you all.
Had only seen this on the periphery, but, in context, have to wonder if the ad campaign was outsourced to 6 year olds who just didn't know better. Or, if, perhaps the entire company, from the ad team, to those who approved it, to the actors, to those who shot the commercial, were just all on a couple weeks long bender. We're beyond racist, and into Monumental Stupidity territory.
Maube Dove weren't aware of how it looks like to other people when they came up with that idea. I mean, yeah may looks like some ads are racist but haven't other brands done that too? It's bot like EVERY brand is perfect and never makes mistakes. Also they apologised for their mistake. I don't know why y'all complaining. Haven't yo had ever an idea, wanted it to spread it out and later realised it was a mistake? Or said something inappropriate by mistake? They're humans to.
I am a white woman, and I use Dove.. and I am not offended even though their commercial tells me that I then originally is a black woman.. It's just funny. Nothing else.
I never did use dove soap, but why do women need to be exploited to sell it?
Its not even only 2 times dove has done this, they do it over and over again.
To the white people who are responding that they don't see anything racist about this ad, I suggest that you listen to what people of color are saying before you make up your mind.
I believe this is a marketing scheme. Look at all the advertising now. hahaha. People need to get over themselves. And I also believe that it's perception that throws this all off. It's a racist ad if that's how you choose to see it.
I am here with my mouth wide open. I cannot believe that this commercial even made it off the paper it was created on. If, in fact, it was supposed to mean for use on any skin types, then begininng with black and then becoming white was a bad idea. #Dove, skin is skin. We all have it.
Wow, I'm white as Hell and this ad is the most Ignorant sh@t I've ever seen, no way of getting around it!
Amazing that some people are tone deaf to racial insensitivity. The not so subliminal message is clear, use Dove soap and be white. The ad could have been constructed in a manner to say, everyone is beautiful in their skin with Dove. It does not do that. A very sad story I heard told by an adult Native American, here mother scrubbed her in bleach water weekly in hopes of lightening her skin. It was not to make her more beautiful it was to make her child safe from bigots. Maybe we do have to fight the white supremacy thing again. People, well meaning do not understand where we have been with this issue. More so, they do not understand where the "alt-right" is attempting to return to.
So the other racist subliminal message is that if you are white and use this soap, your skin will turn darker and you'll become a latina? Or it only matters when it's from dark to white? Why take out just one bit of the add and not see the entire thing as a whole? Almost everything can be interpreted as racist if it's taken out of context... all it takes is just a little bit of imagination. But why do people to this?
Load More Replies... It's sad. Because the biggest racist nowadays are not white people. That is a simple true.
Come to Louisiana, you may rethink that assessment
Load More Replies... I am an older white female and I find this ad inexcusably offensive! I am boycotting dove products forever...they aren't all that anyway. Signed White and Furious
In other news my dad used a bar of Dove soap that had a small rock in it. Leading him to start bleeding from scratches from scrubbing it on his chest...who finds a rock in a bar of soap!!!
Yeah, it's racist. Perhaps that isn't what they intended but clearly they didn't show this to a group of consumers before posting - I'd like to think they'd have been clobbered if they had!
I surely hope I had a girlfriend that could change ethnic trait by changing short, in variety you find pleasure. Afro, hispanic or caucassian, they are all beautiful.
This is pretty bad to be honest because of the implication that black people are "dirty" and that being white is superior. I know that this was part of a larger campaign and not the intent but they really should have known better.
No one would have had a problem with it if the white woman 'turned' black. Or if the black woman 'turned' anything but white. I fully understand why people are upset, but the screenshot takes the advert out of context. Also their 'second' racist ad also probably wouldn't have offended anyone if the women were in a different order. Whilst racial issue are deeply important, the anger over this one tiny advert seems to have been blown vastly out of proportion considering the strong feminist messages Dove is usually known for. The main issue here.... Dove need a marketing team with a little more common sense.
Okay, people are just bandwagoning on this for their own agendas, people love to catch others... I don't know what kind of disease that is... certainly, the original ad could be interpreted poorly IF YOU WANT IT TO BE. As far as "for light to dark skin"... why is that racist? And if it is, why isn't racist against light skin too?
I do see my mistake here, it does say normal, not light... still, I feel it's looking for something to be pissy about. Although, that would be an easy adjustment for Unilever to make. It's all perspective, and perspective is something you can choose. If you want to think bad of them, you will.
Load More Replies... Maybe it was just an innocent mistake, trying to show that everybody can use their soap (I was impressed by how smoothly the images transitioned). But they really should have been more careful, more sensitive.
True, it could have been accidental however if the ad meant to also visually impress on the viewers that its for all* skin tones: by matching the women with shirt color and hairstyle... I did notice the ad could* have at least done better with all matching hairstyle too, but no.. Whatever it is, the advert still shows that its for all skin colors nevermind.
Load More Replies... So how about going from white to latina... is that ok? Does the soap imply that the white woman will get darker if using the soap?
Load More Replies... So what do you think they mean by turning the white girl into hispanic?
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