SKINCARE BRAND NIVEA has removed an advert that was criticised as discriminatory and racist.
Promoting its invisible deodorant range, it featured a woman photographed from the back with the message “white is purity”.
Although condemned widely on social media, the advert was also shared across alt-right social media accounts.
Used on their Facebook page, in a post that was geographically targeted to appear for users in the Middle East, the caption underneath read “Keep it clean, keep it bright. Don’t let anything ruin it”.
Nivea apologised and admitted that the post was misleading.
Its parent company Beiersdorf said that the post had been deleted and it was “deeply sorry to anyone who may take offence to this specific post. Diversity and equal opportunity are crucial values to Nivea.”
It added in a statement to the BBC that “after realising that the post is misleading, it was immediately withdrawn.
We value difference. Direct or indirect discrimination must be ruled out in all decisions by, and in all areas of our activities.
Nivea also addressed people who complained about it directly on Twitter.
The post was widely criticised on social media, but also welcomed in some quarters with one alt-right twitter account calling Nivea the “official anti-perspirant of the #AltRight”.
This wasn’t the first occasion that Nivea’s advertisements have drawn public condemnation.
This advert featured a black man along with the caption “re-civilise yourself”, along with the smaller caption “look like you give a damn”.
It features the clean cut man about to throw away the head of a black man with a messier hair style.
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