High Court dismissed Clicks Group in its tracks to stop Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) from protesting against a racist advert which enraged the public. Two years ago Unilever, the maker of the brand, were embroiled in a similar advertisement on a different product that sparked an enormous outcry.
Monday, September 07, 2020
Clicks pharmacy published an advertisement on its website portraying a black female’s hair as “dry and damaged”, “frizzy and dull”. On the other hand, it showed a white female’s hair as “fine and flat”, and “normal”.
These outrageous racial images sparked controversy that dominated news headlines, debates and also went viral on social media.
On Monday, there were widespread demostrattins across the country denouncing the advert. As a result of public action, Clicks outlets were shutdown and others vandalised.
In its last gasp attempt to acquire a court interdict against the shutdown of its stores, Clicks run out of runway when the High Court did not entertain its urgent plea.
When Clicks Group CEO Vikesh Ramsunder spoke to eNCA and Newzroom Afrika on Monday expressing shock and disappointed from the insensitive material. He acknowledged that the retailer has a long way to go in mending race relations. To bridge this gap, he said in the next few months he will be actively involved in driving the transformation agenda within the pharmaceutical Group.
The health and beauty chain store face massive condemnation from different quarters of society its gross advert.
So much so the South African Human Relations Council (SAHRC) wants to meet those who were part of creating and publishing the racial advert.
EFF, the third biggest political party in South Africa, mobilised public support to call for Clicks management to reveal contributers to the make and posting of the hideous advert.
TRESemmé – a brand owned by Uniliver – created the advert, Ramsunder told Newzroom Afrika. He said an apology has been issued to this end.
Furthermore, Clicks has confirmed the suspension of five employees involved in posting the controversial advertisement on its website. The CEO stated that formal processes are being followed but they will not release the names of those who were involved. “We can’t do that, it is illegal”. After all, these are our employees, he stressed.
Published adverts with racial undertones are not uncommon in South Africa. Companies and institutions harbouring prejudice, stereotypes and myths in whichever form have escaped with mere apologies.
An apology without action is empty, Zimitri Erasmus, summed it aptly when she appeared on Newzroom Afrika.
In 2017, Dove posted a racist advert on Facebook about its body lotion transforming a black woman into a white woman after applying it [the Dove body lotion]. Just like TRESemmé, Dove falls under Uniliver. It dropped the offensive advert and said it ‘missed mark’ on its shallow apology.
Alas, the prime personal care producer repeated its racial advert bordering on perpetuating stereotypes in South Africa. The deep scars suffered by South Africans, largely black, over centuries of colonisation and decades of Apartheid primised mainly on racial segregation and dispossession are well documented.
The Guardian published an article by Mark Sweney on June 22, 2016 titled ‘Unilever vows to drop sexist stereotypes from its ads’. In it, Sweney wrote:
‘Sunsilk, Dove and Lynx maker unveils global strategy after research suggests just 2% of ads show intelligent women. The world’s second-biggest advertiser, which spends €8bn (£6.3bn) a year on more than 400 brands from Sunsilk to Knorr, will unveil a global strategy to “unstereotype” its advertising and eradicate outdated portrayals of gender.’
Four years down the line, Unilever is back on the limelight with the same promotion of distorted representation of black people.
For the time being, the failed application put forth by Clicks to stop the protests in its stores is a big blow. It is unclear how long the outpour of anger will last against this grotesque ad. Be that as it may, the reputational damage will be immeasurable.
Clicks shares fell by 0.5% Monday afternoon.