In a new ad, Nivea attempts to get men to “look like they give a damn” by becoming more “civilized” – in their words, it means cutting the ‘fro.
Many folks have been in an uproar about the ad, including Roots drummer ?uestlove, who tweeted his displeasure. Other bloggers have called it just plain ignorant, considering the complicated history of black hair in America. Nivea has yet to release an official statement.
Update: Nivea recently posted the following statement on their Facebook page:
“Thank you for caring enough to give us your feedback about the recent “Re-civilized” NIVEA FOR MEN ad. This ad was inappropriate and offensive. It was never our intention to offend anyone, and for this we are deeply sorry. This ad will never be used again. Diversity and equal opportunity are crucial values of our company.”
What do you think? Racist or much ado about nothing?
Really ignorant. The obviously don’t have any black people that work for them. If they do, then they obviously ignored the warning.
Time to boycott. They are not getting my business. The value and power of the dollar when used correctly.
http://www.jaxsprats.com
They are a day late and a few million dollars short with the lame apology….They will never use the ad again and I will never use any product made by the company…..got to do my homework now …hope none of my fav products are on their list….if they are I’ll be looking for new favs or making my own!
Just another case of society loving contention, drama. In these times the more drama you convey the more attention you get. Folks really have nothing else to do but trivialise over nothing. That’s America and Britan… You see the scandal over the newspapers and get the dirt at any cost. This is sort of like starting or dishing dirt to get a response and call attention to the product. How many Black folks would have paid attention to Nivea, whose image is Scandinavian=White, or it’s product line. We might use their lotions but not much else. Maybe they are trying to make inroads into the Black Market in these hard economic times. A good lotion would make you feel better about yourself and the pricepoint is one even po’ Black folk can afford. Lets stir up the market a little. Black folks might be aware of the Norway massacre. The shooter was hinted to be racist against people of color there. Maybe this could be attempt to cool things down in that part of the world. That a liberal White society cares about people of color. There are many reasons for this ad, many reasons you may not have considered. The above example of subliminal pyschology and marketing or a minor use of mind control. So folks I suggest we let it go until it becomes a pattern of discrimatory behaviour.
I strongly disagree,with davidhutchinson no matter where this product is from the marketing is in print media in the US, and no doubt is the brainchild of an underexposed ad campaign manager. This ad is aimed at Blacks, and their product is heavily used by Blacks. I think if you are going to market to a group you should have an understanding of their culture.
It makes me wonder if there are other versions of this featuring people of other races to fit the demographic of people who buy that magazine. Maybe the African American demographic was high for this magazine. Any how you look at it, it is in poor taste.
I commented on this on another blog yesterday. I believe this is not just insensitive to the black community but to any man who decides to grow his hair or beard long. The use of “civilized” in conjunction with a clean shave and low hair cut is degrading for any race. As if a man with long hair or a scruffy beard is not a civilized person.. I mean, come on, really Nivea?
I think the ad was ignorant. I can almost guarantee you that the model in the photo didn’t know they were going to superimpose the head of a black man in the ad. And even though they issued an official apology, the damage is done. Although I don’t use their products, you can rest assured that I never will.
I agree with LaShonda. But also would anyone care if this was a caveman from the old Geico ads, meaning a white man doing the exact same thing? What is most gripping and graphic to me about this image is that a man is holding a head (even though it is his own) in his hand. No one is mentioned this point at all.
I definitely think that a strategy meeting should have been held before the ad was approved to determine or test on how it would be received culturally. They employed a black man but didn’t put too much thought into their use of him in this campaign or figured it wouldn’t be a “big deal” for this I think it’s an issue of marketing stupidity.
Nivea markets heavily to men and they probably were trying to further expand their market by utilizing this particular model. I think it was thoughtless (see comment below) but not racist. They are so busy trying to make money they didn’t take any of this into consideration. No one would even raise an eyebrow if the dude had been white. And it’s his head by the way with a full undone head of hair (in this case an afro because he is black after all) and a goatee. Now had a white been holding the black man’s head that woould’ve been something else entirely.
Nivea markets heavily to men and they probably were trying to further expand their market by utilizing this particular model. I think it was thoughtless (see comment below) but not racist. They are so busy trying to make money they didn’t take any of this into consideration. No one would even raise an eyebrow if the dude had been white. And it’s his head by the way with a full undone head of hair (in this case an afro because he is black after all) and a goatee. Now had a white been holding the black man’s head that would’ve been something else entirely.
Very ignorant…cutting the fro is only 1/2 the message, he also has a beard and the model is clean cut. This also is sending a message of uncivilized appearance.
Not sure what they did publicly but they pulled the ad according to their Facebook page :
Thank
you for caring enough to give us your feedback about the recent
“Re-civilized” NIVEA FOR MEN ad. This ad was inappropriate and
offensive. It was never our intention to offend anyone, and for this we
are deeply sorry. This ad will never be used again. Diversity and equal
opportunity are crucial values of our company.
While I appreciate that they’ve pulled the ad, “diversity” and “equal opportunity” are not the issue at all, which makes offense even more frustrating. These folks don’t get it.
I believe this was very ignorant. I thought companies like this had focus groups to review ad campaigns. It just amazes me that no one stopped and thought “this may be offensive” and as someone stated above he is also holding a severed head. Strange…
The ad is both ignorant and racist. Had they shown a wild ‘fro vs. a tamed ‘fro, then ok, because in the white ads, men are shown with the same length hair. It just goes from unkempt to tamed. Shame on Nivea for not doing their research on Black hair care trends, attitudes and habits.
While I’m not fond of this ad AND have a head full of “nappy” hair, that fro still looks kind of unruly to me. But then, so does mine.
I dot look at it as racist. Why does race have to be brought into each and every issue? I was highly disgusted when black folks focused on the color of the skin of Prince Naveen in “The Princess and the Frog”. The way I see it, they are focusing on a corporate dempgraphic. Had this been some white guy with dreads and a beard, noone would have raised a grain of sand. The “corporate” look is one of uniformity, regardless of color. Why is it that we as a people cannot just let things go and stop taking everything as a direct attack on our sensibilities? As davidhutchison said, if it becomes a repeated practice, then say something but geez, up in arms over one ad? Seriously, where are these same picketers when it comes to the black on black crime that is going on in their communities? I am out in the trenches and I will tell you this, I could give less than a damn about Nivea and their ads, I am concerned with the brother and sister who see no way out, the drug dealer, the senseless violence. Boycott the crack houses, the apathetic politicians and the educational system that is failing miserably!
I for one I’m tired of the ” black
on black crime” comments… When
other groups kill each other we dont Whites kill other Whites, Asians kill other
Asians, Latinos kill other Latino, the fact is people kill people that are
around them and thats human nature…
I do have a problem the White on black crimes that happen everyday we
say nothing about … Like the guy in MS that was killed just because he was black:
the 19 yr white teen and his friends beat him and then ran him over with his
truck just because he was black! Yes it still happens in 2011. I have problem with Prince Naveen not
being black!! Because Disney knows
better then to do it to the other ethnic groups but it’s ok to do it to us. Cinderella
and them all have a white prince. Jasmine had an Arab prince; even Mulan had an
Asian prince. So if Disney wants to make a Black Princess she needs a Black Prince. Let me not get into Why is so
important for her to have a Black Prince… For one because she deserve ones! Damm it. … Now back to my original point!
I have seen the other Nivea ad this white in them playing poker and what not.. I have to say the Black ad is beyond
poor taste it’s the message that is sends: A black man with an Afro is suppose
to be un-civilized when thats a hairstyle for our community that some would argue
is part of your history. SO in a way all Afros are un-civilized. Lets all go
back to a Jherry curl so whites can accept us, not to mention black guy with
his head cut off being thrown away. They did no such thing in the white ads. The Truth is racism is alive and well…
to the point the Black president has to show them his Birth certificate. Lets
not sit here and pretend the problem is not there. Do you really think MS is
the fattest state in the union by accident or is there an agenda at work here! When
was the last time you saw a Mc Donalds in a rich white community! Yes our communality
needs work from within but our community is also being attack from the outside
everyday by white media and its stereotypes and that does hurt us more then anything
because those are hard to change them .
I think the ad picture, shown, is no different than the caveman ad that implies what it implies, your face is scruffy get rid of it and use this product, I do not remember what the original caveman ad was for, but thought it was stupid, just like this ad appears to be. Everyone is making way too much out of something that is not there.
This is the way that we always shoot ourselves in the foot. This ad is absolutely NOT racist. If it had been a person of lighter complexion with long hair and unshaven no one would have commented but just looked the other way. Personally I love it when my husband is clean shaven, etc. I bet a dollar for every arm chair comment that has been posted about this ad across the Internet and elsewhere more than 80% have some sort of chemical process in their hair. That is the battleground, this is is not. Use your own mind. Continue to shine. Bliss.