I would like to add that Dove’s response to the backlash following the release of this ad ended with, “All three women are intended to demonstrate the “after” product benefit. We do not condone any activity or imagery that intentionally insults any audience” (Dove qtd. in Moss, 2017). If this was Dove’s intent, they had a horrendously poor execution. Dove never apologized for this disturbing ad within their statement. Just because they did not “intentionally” mean to insult diverse ethnicities does not take away from the fact, they did. Frankly, they insulted every audience that was not white, and the fact that they fail to recognize, apologize, and take responsibility for such actions suggests they do not sincerely care about true inclusivity within their brand.

I came across a lot of disturbing ads when searching for one to jam, and this alone was an eyeopening experience. As consumers, we must do research and educate ourselves on the integrity of companies prior to investing our money into them. If we continue to buy products from companies who have a history of unapologetically creating racist advertisements, what does that say about us as consumers?