Unilever ‘shocked’ it supplied racist images, sets up advisory board
Multinational consumer goods company Unilever says it will set up an advisory board with internal and external experts to review how haircare products in South Africa can be better tailored for consumers.
Unilever has vowed to represent all communities and celebrate all beauty.
The company says the committee will ensure any future advertising campaigns and publicity materials are positive and empowering.
This comes after the company and Clicks came under fire after a TRESemmé advert on the health and beauty retailer's website depicted black people's hair as "dry and dull" while white people's hair was depicted as "normal”.
Unilever says it was also shocked to see the images used for the campaign.
“We were shocked to discover that we had supplied images for the Clicks website that portrayed Black hair as inferior. This was racist and we apologise unreservedly,” it said in a statement on Friday.
“We immediately began an investigation to understand what happened. At the same time, we began reviewing all the marketing campaigns and images in our South Africa portfolio to make sure they match our commitment to celebrate all beauty and promote diversity and inclusion.”
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After investigating, police discovered an "Egyptian technique, which has only recently arrived in France, where you burn a bit of hair to make it more malleable to style, more for kinky hair," Kerdraon said. But the hairdresser, a Libyan in his 30s who speaks English, "didn't master this technique".
Unilever adds it will develop programmes to deliver immediate support to Black hair stylists and small professional salons.
“Setting up a new Diversity and Inclusion Assets Committee, representative of our consumers, to ensure future advertising campaigns and publicity materials reflect our values.
“We want to reiterate our sincere apologies to all South Africans and to the offence caused to Black women in particular,” the statement added.
On Thursday, Unilever agreed to pull the TRESemmé brand from all retail outlets for a period of ten days.
