Accused of racism for advertisements deemed offensive, Swatch and Colgate-Palmolive had recently to withdraw their campaigns and apologize. These controversies reflect a growing vigilance of the public in the face of cultural sensitivity, a recurring weak point of major brands. Back on some significant cases.
The Swiss watch company Swatch and the American multinational Colgate-Palmolive, owner of the SAXE soap brand, recently found themselves under the spotlight for advertisements deemed racist, the first towards the Asian community and the second towards blacks. If they apologized and have chosen to withdraw the problematic images, they have since been the subject of boycott calls.
These two recent controversies are added to an already long list of major brands accused of racism, whether for advertising or products deemed offensive, and pushed to make their mea culpa. Accusations that are mostly leaving social networks and highlighting the growing importance of cultural sensitivity in the marketing strategies of international companies.
>> Back in the 7:30 p.m. on the recent Swatch advertisement that has been withdrawn:
>> Read on this subject: The Swatch group accused of racism due to an advertising campaign
Le savon Sanex
The advertising regulator in the United Kingdom prohibited this Wednesday a television spot for the SANEX soap deemed racist. Broadcast in June, the latter appeared black skin and white skins and could suggest, according to authority, that “black skin is problematic and white skin would be superior”.
Colgate-Palmolive, owner of the brand, immediately defended himself by explaining “that his advertisement did not perpetu negative racial stereotypes and that it was unlikely that it was behind a serious or generalized offense”, while saying “note” of the decision.
Gucci
In 2019, after strong criticisms on social networks, the Italian luxury brand Gucci withdrew from the sale a sweater that can recall according to some Internet users the “Blackface”, a racist practice dating back to the 19th and early 20th century which consisted in representing faces of black people with wide eyes and thick lips to ridicule them and associate them with ignorance or laziness. Called “Pull Passe-Montagne” and sold 800 euros, it was equipped with a rising collar which, once pulled on the lower face, drew a mouth with red lips.
In addition to several calls for boycott, the American rapper 50 Cent had notably burned a T-shirt of the brand as a sign of protest.
Dolce & Gabbana
Gucci is not the only Italian brand to have distinguished itself by a choice of visual deemed offensive and racist. In 2018, Dolce & Gabbana had been under fire criticism due to a promotional video showing a model of Asian origin using Chinese chopsticks to try to eat Italian dishes.
The firm invoked the pretext for hacking and apologized. Dolce & Gabbana then withdrew the videos, but the Chinese authorities canceled a parade of the brand planned in Shanghai shortly after.
Prada
In its Soho shop in New York at the end of 2018, the Italian brand Prada had caused an uproar by exhibiting a series of objects – keychain, telephone hulls or t -shirts – adorned with patterns reminiscent of “BlackFace” caricatures.
In response, the Italian luxury group withdrew them and announced that it was going to have a “advice” on diversity and racism. “We would like to transmit our deep regrets and our sincere apologies to the Pradamalia products that shocked. They were removed from the market and will not be sold,” he published in a press release on X.
H&M
In 2018, Hennes and Mauritz (H&M) withdrew from his website a photo which earned him many accusations of racism essentially on social networks. The photo in question, an advertisement, showed a black child wearing a sweatshirt with the inscription “Coolest Monkey in the Jungle” (in French: “The coolest monkey in the jungle”). The world ready-to-wear giant had to apologize.
But the evil was done: in South Africa, activists vandalized stores from the Swedish brand.
The clumsiness of H&M recalls that of the Spanish brand Zara, forced in 2014 to withdraw from the sale a sailor for children decorated with a yellow star, strongly criticized because of its resemblance to the star imposed on the Jews under the Nazi regime.
Volkswagen – 2020
In 2020, a short video published on social networks by the German brand Volkswagen to present its new golf course was quickly deleted, because it is deemed racist by many Internet users.
The video in question showed a white hand manipulating a black man like a puppet, which was deemed racist. The company apologized and withdrew the ad.
Fabien Grenon
