Nivea embroiled in race row in Africa after releasing ‘lighter skin’ moisturiser commercial
BEAUTY company Nivea has received backlash for advertising a moisturiser that promises to give users ‘visibly fairer skin’.
NIVEA has become embroiled in a race row after an “appalling” moisturiser advert that promises ‘visibly lighter skin’ for black women.
The beauty brand is advertising its new Natural Fairness moisturiser to women living in Nigeria, Ghana, Cameroon and Senegal, reports The Sun.
Billboards show former Miss Nigeria Omowunmi Akinnifesi using the moisturiser to lighten her skin.
The German company have also got a TV advert for the product showing a black model’s skin becoming lighter after she applies the cream.
Dear @niveauk @NIVEAUSA and all other #Nivea out there... This is not how to market in Africa. We didn't want 'FAIRER SKIN' thank you. pic.twitter.com/qBtYvfLNpA
â Folaranmi ð¼ (@TheFavoredWoman) October 18, 2017
#Nivea please we don't need to be fairer to look younger or prettier. Take your beauty standards and ð³ï¸. pic.twitter.com/vEbBZyFcIK
â Naa Oyoo Kumodzi (@OyooQuartey) October 18, 2017
People have taken to social media to express their outrage and disgust that they should want “fairer” skin, and have been using the hashtag #PULLITDOWN to demand the removal of the adverts.
@NIVEAUSA @niveauk please remove this billboard you're putting up all over Ghana (and I'm pretty sure all over the continent) #nivea pic.twitter.com/cGFQdHP3eg
â Mark Osaro (@mny_mrk) October 18, 2017
London entrepreneur William Adoasi slammed the TV commercial.
Sharing a clip of it online, he wrote: “This is why black businesses need to rise up and cater for our needs.
Nivea can’t get away with pushing this skin lightening agenda across Africa. Appalling.”
This is why black businesses need to rise up and cater for our needs. Nivea canât get away with pushing this skin lightening agenda across Africa. Appalling. pic.twitter.com/8uR7XHNgVa
â William Adoasi (@WilliamAdoasi) October 18, 2017
Fuse ODG, a British hip hop artist of Ghanaian descent, has also slammed the Nivea campaign.
On his Instagram feed, he posted an image of the ad, writing: “Kindly take down these billboards you have placed all over our beloved countries in Africa.
“I saw this one with my own eyes today in Ghana and we love our complexion the way it is. And if you don’t take these down. We will.
“Every African everywhere should stop buying any Nivea product. Tag the Nivea branch from your country so they understand how foolish this is!”
For those of u claiming the word "fairer" mean beautiful
â Fuse ODG (@FuseODG) October 18, 2017
TakeDown ya SelfHate billboards in Africa. #BlackIsBeautiful
@Nivea_UK @NiveaUSA pic.twitter.com/zclNxARveE
The advert comes just one week after Dove was forced to apologise after an advert appeared to show a black woman turn white after washing with its products.
The beauty brand acknowledged it had “missed the mark” after the Facebook ad sparked a backlash that saw the company accused of racism.
The advert showed a black woman removing a T-shirt revealing a white woman underneath. The white woman then removes her T-shirt to reveal an Asian woman.
Hundreds of furious social media users have called for a boycott of Dove products calling the ad “disgraceful”.