Ok, but then you are the one stipulating that there is a difference.
Nawp, years of systemic inequality does that. Not talking about it doesn't make it go away. Not acknowledging things doesn't make it better.
Ok, but then you are the one stipulating that there is a difference.
Did you read the comments? All those nazi white supremacist comments are being made because its something they have been saying since their inception. Even if it wasnt meant to be racist, its inviting that kind of shit. If you wore a white dress as a symbol of your sexual purity, I dont think it would stir up shit. If you walked around with a white t shirt that in big letters on it sayin "WHITE IS PURITY"... people are probably going to look at you like you some dumb racist prick.I don't get it. I see the problem with the re-civilize ad, though seeing it alongside the "white" version limits the problem to the word choice and even then i don't know that it's intentional. But the white is purity / black is courage ads seem fine? Surely the people that think it's racist are the ones making it racist? White has been associated with purity and innocence for thousands of years. Priests wore white in ancient Egypt and Rome as a symbol of their chastity.
I think some people are way too sensitive. Morgan Freeman is right, just stop talking about it. The fact that people still use the term African American is the states is mind boggling to me. I've never heard of an African Britain or African Spaniard. American is American. Skin colour is irrelevant.
Hence why Kubrick got the A Clockwork Orange protagonist to drink milk, someone evil enjoying something pure and all that entails.
Those comments are clearly sarcasm/making fun of the ad.Did you read the comments? All those nazi white supremacist comments are being made because its something they have been saying since their inception. Even if it wasnt meant to be racist, its inviting that kind of shit. If you wore a white dress as a symbol of your sexual purity, I dont think it would stir up shit. If you walked around with a white t shirt that in big letters on it sayin "WHITE IS PURITY"... people are probably going to look at you like you some dumb racist prick.
Those comments are clearly sarcasm/making fun of the ad.
Even if they are its because of the ads wording and its obvious ties to white supremacy.Those comments are clearly sarcasm/making fun of the ad.
Those comments are clearly sarcasm/making fun of the ad.
.
There's no way they didn't realise it sounded racist.
So, people start to get on the outrage train because of the white is purity thing. Something which is no issue, because white is purity for pretty much the whole history of humanity already and also in pretty much every culture. So it uses one of the most ancient color associations we have.
So it starts lose steam, because the outrage train can only run on outrage and people find something 6 year old to get it started again. I know some 30-50 year old beauty commercial which are very sexist, that should add some steam again to keep this rolling for at least another few pages.
I don't get it. I see the problem with the re-civilize ad, though seeing it alongside the "white" version limits the problem to the word choice and even then i don't know that it's intentional. But the white is purity / black is courage ads seem fine? Surely the people that think it's racist are the ones making it racist? White has been associated with purity and innocence for thousands of years. Priests wore white in ancient Egypt and Rome as a symbol of their chastity.
I think some people are way too sensitive. Morgan Freeman is right, just stop talking about it. The fact that people still use the term African American is the states is mind boggling to me. I've never heard of an African Britain or African Spaniard. American is American. Skin colour is irrelevant.
1) A lot of Americans, today, are negatively affected by white supremacy. Seeing that phrase referenced in an ad is, just possibly, not a "no issue" situation to them.
2) If you can't see a difference between 6 years ago and 50 years ago, when it comes to establishing cultural context, I don't know what to tell you.
Is Nivea's ad dept from another country or something?
1) A lot of Americans, today, are negatively affected by white supremacy. Seeing that phrase referenced in an ad is, just possibly, not a "no issue" situation to them.
2) If you can't see a difference between 6 years ago and 50 years ago, when it comes to establishing cultural context, I don't know what to tell you.
This has to pass a concerted focus test of at least one room full of people if their marketing set up is anything like my company's.
How not a single one of them on a single pass through said "no". Is... Yeah.
Imo, someone who is racist would look at that ad and think that it's absolutely fine or not be able to understand why it could be interpretted as racist.
Someone who looks at the ad and can recognize the potential racist tone and therefore make fun of it isn't racist imo.
Well, it is his own unshaved, uncombed head he throws away in an add for shaving products. Same with the other guy, he holds it in his hand. But that is not stopping the outrage train, so all aboard choo choo.
Also it is 6 years old, but again that is not going to stop the train.
Sure but its hard to say who is making fun of it or just being racist. I think comments like "this is going to upset so many blacks they are now going to turn to crime... oh wait.." are pretty clear.Imo, someone who is racist would look at that ad and think that it's absolutely fine or not be able to understand why it could be interpretted as racist.
Someone who looks at the ad and can recognize the potential racist tone and therefore make fun of it isn't racist imo.
Imo, someone who is racist would look at that ad and think that it's absolutely fine or not be able to understand why it could be interpretted as racist.
Someone who looks at the ad and can recognize the potential racist tone and therefore make fun of it isn't racist imo.
Imo, someone who is racist would look at that ad and think that it's absolutely fine or not be able to understand why it could be interpretted as racist.
Someone who looks at the ad and can recognize the potential racist tone and therefore make fun of it isn't racist imo.
If you walked around with a white t shirt that in big letters on it sayin "WHITE IS PURITY"... people are probably going to look at you like you some dumb racist prick.
Why does the country matter?Somebody needs to task themselves with scouring through Middle Eastern print advertisements for items/phrases which could potentially be considered offensive to western sensibilities. Maybe a Federal task force or something along those lines? This behavior simply cannot continue.
Can you understand why someone might interpret this as racist?Guess, I'm a racist then...
or could it be that I just have a different cultural background like the people this ad is aimed at? ... ... ... Nah, can't be that.
Why does the country matter?
Colorism is an issue in every country. Valuing lighter skintones over darker skintones is something that every culture and creed shares. Removing Western sensibilities does not make the criticisms in this thread void, because darker skinned people everywhere on Earth struggle with the same connotation.
I'm not saying if they were purposefully trying to be racist or not. I'm saying its easy to understand why the phrase "white is purity" in an ad can be taken the wrong way. Which the comment section has so clearly demonstrated.Yes, they absolutely would. But that's also your construct. It isn't a t-shirt that says white is purity and they're not recommending that you wear a t-shirt that says white is purity. You just created that imagery in your own head.
You accept that white and innocence, purity, newness, whatever have a long standing connotation that isn't racist in any sense, but because Nivea used a picture of a woman in a white bath robe and some words to draw that exact connotation... you make some sort of mental leap in your had to it being racist. At most it's questionable, but really I struggle to see it as being overtly and purposefully racist. You are the ones making it racist.
The bathrobe insinuates that she either just got out of the bath or the shower. Shes now clean... fresh... new skin... etc. It's obvious to see what they were going for.
If you have a majority of people interpreting the ad to be valuing a certain skintone over others, then you have failed in the marketing department. The argument here seems to be that seeing the "Black is Courage" tagline alongside the "White is Purity" one removes the possible interpretation of racism or colorism in the ad. However, the "White is Purity" tagline in particular can survive on its own without the "Black is Courage" tagline being associated with it because of the design elements used. A smarter graphic designer would have included both elements in the advert and made them dependent of one another in terms of design in order to make their messaging more clear^
The ad isn't about skintones.
Why does the country matter?
Colorism is an issue in every country. Valuing lighter skintones over darker skintones is something that every culture and creed shares. Removing Western sensibilities does not make the criticisms in this thread void, because darker skinned people everywhere on Earth struggle with the same connotation.
Can you understand why someone might interpret this as racist?
If you can, even if you disagree with the interpretation, then I don't think you're racist.
If you have a majority of people interpreting the ad to be valuing a certain skintone over others, then you have failed in the marketing department.
People in Qatar have issues with colorism, much like the USA. Skin lightening is prevalent in Qatar, thereby proving my claim that colorism is something that everyone struggles with. I never claimed that issues of race directly apply to Qatar, but messages directed towards a foreign audience play with the same colorist connotations when advertising their skin products.You're right. There are absolutely zero cultural differences between places like New York City and Qatar. None at all. All the people are exactly the same and have similar mindsets.
Well then...![]()
Absolutely.Would the average citizen in Kuwait or Libya see this ad, and think of racism at a similar rate as a person seeing this on a bus in NYC or London?
Would the term "White is Purity", for me as a white guy in New Hampshire, strike me as inappropriate? Yes. To those I referenced? I'm not so sure, and can only assume the ad team responsible felt similarly. They're trying to sell deodorant, not piss people off. Possibly you have more insight on their mindset?
My mom used to buy this shit for my sister. It's fucked up.on par with this
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Chances are the product sucked for your skin anywayLiterally just washed my face with their gel.
As a mixed race bloke![]()
Literally just washed my face with their gel.
As a mixed race bloke![]()
Wow.
I don't think you understand it either. The messaging is different but the negative implications are the same.You don't get it. You are linking the slogan of the ad to skintones, because of the way the term "white purity" is being used by white supremacists in the US. You wouldn't have this connotation if you were from a different cultural background.
Those comments are clearly sarcasm/making fun of the ad.