by Beauty giant, Dove have found themselves in the midst of controversy this past week. Their recent global ad campaign has seemed to hit all of the wrong nerves and has been under fire. Many are naming calling it out on being a racist campaign and see it as an insensitive move towards their customers.
Dove issued a formal apology and removed the campaign from the web. But that wasn’t before the damage was done. The advert depicts a black lady taking off her shirt and becoming white.
This isn’t the first time a South African company has come under fire for racially charged adverts, however. We have compiled a list of five South African ads which have caused a bit of a stir.
SAVE up to 35% on car insurance today. Compare quotes and reduce your premium.
1. Nando’s Diversity Advert
Nando’s always creates controversial adverts that focus on societal issues in a satirical way. This particular video focuses on racism in South Africa. The leading South African broadcaster, SABC even refused to air the advert because they thought it might upset their viewers.
The SABC also expressed concern that the ad violated the Electronics Communications and Transactions Act and Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) code.
What do you think?
2. Feed A Child
In 2014, the Feed A Child foundation released a highly controversial video where they compared a black child to a hungry dog.
The ad highlights the issue of poverty and hunger in South Africa. A white woman gives her left over food to a hungry black child, who is waiting at her feet.
The Feed A Child campaign defended this ad by saying that it depicts the horrific truth. They say that domestic animals, such as dogs, receive more food than some children in South Africa.
3. Amy Biehl Foundation
The Amy Biehl Foundation is a non-profit organisation which aims to improve children’s education in South Africa. The advert depicts the consequences of an uneducated child.
Many people saw it as a jab at the black, underprivileged communities in South Africa.
This advert depicts a few children confessing to crimes that they will commit in the next ten years. The foundation aimed to use the campaign to expose the effects of poverty on the youth and how it could affect them during their adult lives.
4. Drive Dry Campaign
This campaign was launched in 2010 and was shown in the Shrien Dewani trial. The defense used the video to persuade the court that Dewani would be sodomized in prison. Dewani was standing trial in connection with the death of his wife, Anni.
The aim of the campaign was to scare South African men and urge them not to drink and drive. This video clearly exposes the reality surrounding South African prisons.
Would this scare you?
5. SABC’s Racial Perspective
This advert was released in the early ’00s and was a very popular advert that was often broadcast on SABC One. The ad depicts a role reversal in the white and black characters.
The ad exposes the diversity and racial perspective of South Africans. The main character is followed around the city, as he engages with the world around him.
Take a look for yourself…
