Nivea reacts to controversial ad in Africa after backlash and racism claims

desmond frimpong

October 19, 2017 5:09 PM

The racism row has finally gotten Nivea talking

German skincare company Nivea has mounted a spirited defence to popular racism accusation of its recent ad in West Africa.

Nivea sparked race row with an advert that shows a black model using their skin cream to give herself lighter skin.

Since it's appearance in several African countries, Nivea has been slammed on social media and accused of racism, with some calling for a boycott.

In response to the heavy backlash, Beiersdorf, the parent company of Nivea said in a statement published on Facebook on Thursday saying: “We recognize the concerns raised by some consumers regarding a NIVEA product communication in Ghana and take them very seriously. Our intention is to never offend our consumers”.

“We acknowledge every consumer’s right to choose products according to their personal preferences, and we are guided by that to responsibly provide them with high-quality skin care product choices,” the statement added without any apology.

desmond frimpong