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[Milchjon]

Nivea just pulled this ad after a public outcry.

Am I wrong in thinking that calling this ad racist is racist itself? If the guy was white, no one would care.
(There's another ad with a white man, but with another headline, which might be the thing that causes the complaints. But even then I think you have to want to understand it that way?)

 

[Lunchbox]

its telling people to groom

 

[Fusebox]

Goddamn it society...

I agree with OP, people who respond to this ad differently simply because it features a black man are displaying racism.

 

[X26]

not at all

 

[Archurro]

Is the dude throwing away his fro' because he's clean shaving now? I don't understand the ad...

 

[Amory]

I think it's pretty clear they didn't intend for it to be racist. *shrug* if people were getting all pissed off over it they were probably right to discontinue the ad.

 

[Celsior]

If it was a white guy with a bad haircut would it be racist?

 

[Technosteve]

i use that pre shave wash and after shave balm, quality stuff

 

[Milchjon]

Is the dude throwing away his fro' because he's clean shaving now? I don't understand the ad...

Pretty much. He uses Nivea products to "show he cares".

 

[Lunchbox]

i use that pre shave wash and after shave balm, quality stuff

racist

 

[SturokBGD]

I was sitting here scratching my head about what exactly this ad was about.

Then I saw the severed head.

It's not racist at all. It's just the stuff of nightmares.

 

[Typographenia]

Not racist, but I don't blame the company for playing it safe.

 

[teruterubozu]

Article doesn't say, but apparently the white dude version of the ad doesn't say "re-civilize yourself", so that's what people are upset about.

 

[Fusebox]

i use that pre shave wash and after shave balm, quality stuff

Sure is, I use their facewash gel, moisturiser and shaving cream. Love it.

 

[DrFunk]

wtf, no

 

[Deified Data]

Obviously it's not intentionally racist, but you'd have to be dumb not to see it that way. Nivea pulled a smart move in owning up to it quick, apologizing, and moving on. People may be a bit too PC nowadays, but this ad could have certainly used a bit of tweaking.

 

[OpinionatedCyborg]

only racist if he's dunking his dirty head through a basketball hoop

 

[Always-honest]

what....?
What is the ad about..?

And why is it racist?

Why do people NEED, CRAVE rasicm in their lives?

Obviously it's not intentionally racist, but you'd have to be dumb not to see it that way. Nivea pulled a smart move in owning up to it quick, apologizing, and moving on. People may be a bit too PC nowadays, but this ad could have certainly used a bit of tweaking.

elaborate if you like.

 

[CF_Fighter]

Another case where the ad department should have been more aware of the content of the ad. It's not racist, but knowing how society thinks now one should know it would raise outcry.

 

[B_Rik_Schitthaus]

I'd say its pretty fucking suspect.


http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cg...d=PBH18810202.2.13&l=mi&e=-------10--1----0--

 

[thezerofire]

I think maybe if they used another word for it, and used another hairstyle other than a traditionally black one (fro) to be a "bad" hairstyle it would have been less of a sensitive subject.

 

[Grizzlyjin]

The fro being thrown isn't the problem. The "re-civilize" yourself part...yeah, I wouldn't have printed that.

 

[OpinionatedCyborg]

what....?
What is the ad about..?

And why is it racist?

Why do people NEED, CRAVE rasicm in their lives?

well, he is throwing away his natural hair in favour of a clean cut appearance, so i dunno. and the word civilize has a lot of negative connotations when used on black people. I can see why people might get upset.

 

[Spire]

A week from now they'll be accused of racism for not featuring any black people in their ad campaign.

 

[Spokker]

Mayor Nutter said the same thing to young black people in Philadelphia.

 

[lightless_shado]

 

[DominoKid]

yeaaaaaah they should know better than that.

 

[Always-honest]

well, he is throwing away his natural hair in favour of a clean cut appearance, so i dunno. and the word civilize has a lot of negative connotations when used on black people. I can see why people might get upset.

So cutting your hair is wanting to be white... ffuuuu.. i still don't understand.
What if it was a white hippie...?

 

[Deified Data]

what....?
What is the ad about..?

And why is it racist?

Why do people NEED, CRAVE rasicm in their lives?

elaborate if you like.

Right. You make a good point, that some people simply seek out this sort of thing because they enjoy to be angry, they enjoy being offended. Of that there is no doubt. However, there's a difference between utterly discarding the negativity of racism and simply being ignorant of it (not that I'm calling anyone ignorant, here).

Fact is, someone isn't automatically made racist simply by picking up on the racist undertones of the ad. It's possibly to simply be "aware" of it, while distancing it from your personal beliefs. At the end of the day, if I were the guy in charge of approving this ad for print, I'd think to myself "Hey, some people might find this racist. Nivea might have to pull this ad and apologize at some point. Let's rethink this campaign a little."

That's all I'm getting at.

 

[Yo Gotti]

Advertising thrives on shock value.

Saying "re-civilize yourself" to a black audience was definitely some advertisers wise idea.

 

[Technosteve]

Mayor Nutter said the same thing to young black people in Philadelphia.

Flash mobs attacking people sending one guy to the hospital i would say they need to be civilized

 

[teruterubozu]

So cutting your hair is wanting to be white... ffuuuu.. i still don't understand.
What if it was a white hippie...?

Well, the white hippie version of the ad says, "Sin City is no excuse to look like Hell." Nothing about being uncivilized.

 

[The Technomancer]

No but this is:

 

[captmcblack]

A week from now they'll be accused of racism for not featuring any black people in their ad campaign.

Yes, and if the context of that complaint fit, the complaint would be warranted too.

These ad agencies know EXACTLY what they're doing when they make ads. It is possible to make a provocative ad that doesn't set off any dogwhistles or touch on any racial stereotypes or even evoke racial issues in anyway...they just have to be interested in doing so, is all.

 

[thezerofire]

So cutting your hair is wanting to be white... ffuuuu.. i still don't understand.
What if it was a white hippie...?

no but apparently having an afro is uncivilized

 

[Always-honest]

Right. You make a good point, that some people simply seek out this sort of thing because they enjoy to be angry, they enjoy being offended. Of that there is no doubt. However, there's a difference between utterly discarding the negativity of racism and simply being ignorant of it (not that I'm calling anyone ignorant, here).

Fact is, someone isn't automatically made racist simply by picking up on the racist undertones of the ad. It's possibly to simply be "aware" of it, while distancing it from your personal beliefs. At the end of the day, if I were the guy in charge of approving this ad for print, I'd think to myself "Hey, some people might find this racist. Nivea might have to pull this ad and apologize at some point. Let's rethink this campaign a little."

That's all I'm getting at.

But can't it just be a person who is throwing away his rough wild (as in younger less responsibilties wild) appearance for a clean cut appearance (which is stupid anyway, but not the point here).

no but apparently having an afro is uncivilized

THAT is the point i think.
But it's just a guy with long hair. So long hair is uncivilised.And that's still fucking stupid....

Saying an Afro is more than just long hair is just keeping racism alive imo.
we need to get past that.

 

[Deified Data]

No but this is:

This exactly. An ad doesn't have to be intentionally racist for one to instantly recognize the undertones, regardless of their beliefs. Some things are simply universal.

 

[RoadHazard]

Yeah, no way would it be considered racist if it was the same exact ad but with a white person instead. The people who see this ad as racist ("the ad says that black people need to get more civilized, thus implying that black people are less civilized than white people", or whatever) - aren't they really the racists for making that connection the moment they see it?

I see why people would consider it racist, but unless you personally take it that way it really isn't.

 

[spindashing]

No but this is:

That's pretty bad.

 

[kehs]

It's like the word racist is changing it's meaning or something.

 

[Deified Data]

But can't it just be a person who is throwing away his rough wild (as in younger less responsibilties wild) appearance for a clean cut appearance (which is stupid anyway, but not the point here).

It certainly could be, yes, but it could also be racist. If I were Nivea, I'd want the ad that worked well for the product and had no racist undertones. That would be ideal, no?

 

[Drkirby]

No, Nivea is saying they think that hairstyle looks like crap though.

That's pretty bad.

The problem is that it is also taken out of context, since that was a follow up ad featuring the same two people, with the black girl dominating over the white one.

 

[thezerofire]

No but this is:

oh shit I didn't even see the black woman wowww

 

[lightless_shado]

So cutting your hair is wanting to be white... ffuuuu.. i still don't understand.
What if it was a white hippie...?

An Afro is an example of a natural black hairstyle. In the western world, black people(men and especially women) are not encouraged to have their natural hair, be it cornrows, braids, dreadlocks, whatever. And when you make people associate natural black hairstyles with being uncivilized, especially in the west where the term "civilization" especially in regards to non-white people has a very negatively charged history, then obviously people will be outraged.

I think people may be less bothered if the white version of the ad had the same print instead of something else.

Anyway I shouldn't even have said anything. I'm just going to continue watching this thread

someone give me a sprite to go with my popcorn!

 

[Ellis Kim]

I think the problem is the "re-civilize" part. Otherwise its fine.

 

[RustyNails]

I wonder how shit like this goes past the executive level. I mean, how the fuck.

 

[Bryan1321]

No but this is:

That IMO it is racist...

 

[Ducarmel]

But can't it just be a person who is throwing away his rough wild (as in younger less responsibilties wild) appearance for a clean cut appearance (which is stupid anyway, but not the point here).

Just to throw this out there the Afro was once (maybe still is) a symbol of black empowerment!

I am not saying the ad was attacking the image of the Black Afro hairstyle but that is another angle somebody could of been offended by "Afro look is uncivilized compared to a short hair style".

 

[captmcblack]

Yeah, no way would it be considered racist if it was the same exact ad but with a white person instead. The people who see this ad as racist ("the ad says that black people need to get more civilized, thus implying that black people are less civilized than white people", or whatever) - aren't they really the racists for making that connection the moment they see it?

Okay, so why didn't the ad agency do it with a white person instead?

 

[Always-honest]

It certainly could be, yes, but it could also be racist. If I were Nivea, I'd want the ad that worked well for the product and had no racist undertones. That would be ideal, no?

I bet someone would complain that there is a white person in that ad. Saying civilised = white..

where does it end?

Just to throw this out there the Afro was once (maybe still is) a symbol of black empowerment!

I am not saying the ad was attacking the image of the Black Afro hairstyle but that is another angle somebody could of been offended by "Afro look is uncivilized compared to a short hair style".

was once.. but it's also just a guy that doesn't go to the barber. For what ever reason.