Unilever apologies for Thai skin whitening campaign

[webfact]

Unilever apologies for Thai skin whitening campaign

BANGKOK, October 24, 2013 (AFP) - A Thai subsidiary of consumer goods giant Unilever apologised Wednesday for a controversial competition for students to promote its skin whitening product, saying it did not intend "racial discrimination".

The "Citra 3D Brightening Girls Search" offered prizes including cash "scholarships" from a fund of around 100,000 baht ($3,200) for female university students who send in photos of themselves holding its body lotion.

But posts on social media criticised the company for apparently linking education with whiter skin -- which is already widely associated with higher economic status in Thailand.

"The campaign, developed in Thailand, had no intent to suggest racial discrimination," Unilever Thai Trading said in a statement.

"We apologise for any misunderstandings regarding the campaign. The Citra brand will exercise greater sensitivity for brand activation campaigns that take place in the future."

The company later announced it had decided to modify the television commercial for the competition "as quickly as possible" in view of the reaction.

The advert shows two presenters asking female students on a university campus what would make them "outstanding in uniform".

The first girl, who has a darker complexion, appears confused by the question and says she does not know. But a much whiter-skinned girl judged by presenters to have "beautiful" skin answers with the Citra product slogan.

"Now, you can get a scholarship because of white skin not because of good studying, not if you are poor and dark," said one post under the name MyOwnDream on the well-known, mainly Thai language, online comment website pantip.com.

Another poster, under the name aekapopG, said Thai people were "brainwashed" into wanting to be white.
But some defended the campaign.

"The company sells whitening products, so they decided to give the prizes for being white, what is the problem?" wrote Valentika.

Unilever, which has more than 400 brands sold in over 190 countries, has its main offices in Britain and the Netherlands.

Skin whitening creams abound in Thailand, helped by the popularity of white-skinned models and actors on billboards and the television.

In September, US firm Dunkin' Donuts said it was pulling an advertisement in Thailand featuring a woman with black face make-up after a human rights group described it as racist.

The "charcoal donut" ad caused little controversy in Thailand, however, while on social media sites there were differing views about whether the ad was offensive.


-- (c) Copyright AFP 2013-10-24

[arthurboy]

But some defended the campaign.

"The company sells whitening products, so they decided to give the prizes for being white, what is the problem?" wrote Valentika.

Dear Khun Valentika, your crass comment has cleverly articulated - albeit unwittingly - the very issue at the heart of this fiasco.

A marketer's dream customer.

[Thai at Heart]

Well. A day too late but good. I presume someone in marketing will be receiving a crash course in corporate social responsibility.

[borisloosebrain]

Given that these products don't actually change the colour of your skin one iota isn't it time that companies like Unilever were charged with fraud ?

[MikeOboe57]

Unilever should apologize for selling whitening cream.

[JoeThePoster]

Beauty is only skin deep, but ugly mentality goes to the bone.

[prighas]

I bet Valentika is 'white'.

[jaltsc]

"Skin whitening creams abound in Thailand, helped by the popularity of white-skinned models and actors on billboards and the television."

Unilever won't be satisfied until every woman in Thailand looks like Morticia Addams. Unfortunately, many Thai woman aspire for the same. Unfortunately, we don't know what the long term health effects are for using these Frankenstein-like products, but there is no way this story ends pretty.

[Thai at Heart]

Given that these products don't actually change the colour of your skin one iota isn't it time that companies like Unilever were charged with fraud ?

Now that is another can of worms entirely.

[scorecard]

Given that these products don't actually change the colour of your skin one iota isn't it time that companies like Unilever were charged with fraud ?

And there's a story a couple of days ago about a high profile Japanese skin cream brand having to pay out millions dollars in several countries for the skin damage their whitening products have caused. Case not finished.

[lomatopo]

Offsets the "effects" of DD Charcoal donuts?

[Katipo]

Given that these products don't actually change the colour of your skin one iota isn't it time that companies like Unilever were charged with fraud ?

I'm not so sure. They are full of bleaches (natural or otherwise) and sunscreen. So my understanding is that they can make a difference, albeit, not a necessarily a very healthy one.

[Misterwhisper]

A scholarship fund of an incredible 100,000 baht, generously provided by a consumer product corporation that skims off profits amounting to billions of baht in Thailand every year.

And since it's "scholarships" (plural!) that are supposedly given away, one can only marvel at the tremendous quality of education those multiple, white-skinned prize winners will be able to receive from it.

I am also wondering how much money that company will be making from thousands of "potential scholarship winners" more or less forced to buy a bottle of that dubious, grossly over-priced whitening product so they can pose with it for the required photo. But then again, that's the whole idea behind this exercise, isn't it?

[h90]

Either it whitening cream or changing skin color is racist and should be banned for political correctness.

Or it is not that there can be such strange promotion activities.

That whitening cream is proofed to be unhealthy is a complete different topic.

[DocN]

Too late....about 50 years too late!

[Tatsujin]

Well. A day too late but good. I presume someone in marketing will be receiving a crash course in corporate social responsibility.

This will have absolutely zero effect on how things are done here. They still don't see or understand what the issue is and are looking at everyone non-Thai as if we are mad to make a fuss over something like this. Give it another year, another inappropriate marketing campaign will appear.

[Toscano]

I think this emphasis on white skin is terrible ! I believe that whitening creams may elliminate the natural Melanin that can protect the skin from ultra violet rays . Girls go out and hide themselves under books , papers an umbrella or garment , lest a ray of sun makes them brown . Sunshine on the body is good for you give vitamin D and energy . I know two once very pretty girls now at university ; there mother is pale skinned and father very brown . The girls and their brother are naturally brown . In there teens there mother wouldn't let them go swimming , because the sun would make them browner than they already were . Now they are pale skinned , with complexions like uncooked dough and to be honest they both look ugly .

[ratcatcher]

Given that these products don't actually change the colour of your skin one iota isn't it time that companies like Unilever were charged with fraud ?

Now that is another can of worms entirely.

See how much smarter and happier the two white worms are compared to the other four?

They used Citra every day for a week.

[FireMedic]

Thai skin whitening cream is about as useful as Thai common sense pills or Anti-taxi mafia whiskey.

[mca]

I seem to recall a tv ad over here for a skin cream where a dark skinned girl looked in a mirror and was horrified to see the reflection of a giant black crow looking back at her. Classy.

[gemini81]

They're only selling and marketing what there is demand for here; and what the locals believe they want and need due to culture/status/TV influence. No need to apologize.

More like the consumers ought to apologize for being so silly and falling for these nonsense harmful products.

Edited October 24, 2013 by gemini81

[Crushdepth]

Many people here want to have lighter skin. Labelling it "racist" is ridiculous.

[EvilDrSomkid]

All whitening products are racist and insulting by their very nature.

[jpeg]

This isn't an entirely new phenomena, nor a Thai one. Last century Europeans used to paste their faces with arsenic to look white. Until a lot of them died. The Japanese paint their teeth black to make their already white skin look even whiter. I have a friend who's Euro father was a farmer and kept himself covered to not be tanned and show himself as being 'lower class'. So the Thais are simply playing catch up.

However, I do agree this advertising in today's smaller World to be crass and inappropriate. Also, I've noticed how many young Thai women have awful skin. Must be all that 'slap'.

[noitom]

Thais crave skin whitening. It must be some sort of inferiority complex. Thai advertising and marketing subliminally promotes this in Thai culture. Like fashion generally promotes slim , skinny, emaciated looking models and creates a large segment of bulimia and anorexic girls. One day we will read about Thai skin problems tied to these creams.

[Bluespunk]

Many people here want to have lighter skin. Labelling it "racist" is ridiculous.

True, but discriminating against those who do not have the 'right' hue is racist. That is the bigotry that lies behind this campaign.

[apalink_thailand]

"Skin whitening creams abound in Thailand, helped by the popularity of white-skinned models and actors on billboards and the television."

Unilever won't be satisfied until every woman in Thailand looks like Morticia Addams. Unfortunately, many Thai woman aspire for the same. Unfortunately, we don't know what the long term health effects are for using these Frankenstein-like products, but there is no way this story ends pretty.

Isn't it just bleach they put in these creams?

[hansnl]

I think it is not only Unilever to blame for cashing in on the idiot ideas of many Asian girls/women/boys/men/anything in between.

Ever try to buy something from Unilever and not being able to read Thai?

Shampoo for example?

I wrote about this to Unilever Thailand.

The answer more or less boiled down to:"This is Thailand and we speak and write Thai"!

In other words, the millions of tourist not able to read Thai and the expats are not interesting.

I wrote to Unilever Europe about this, they understand the problem.

But do not have the power to do something about this, the decisions lie with the local unit.

No problem, when buying things and seeing the Unilever "U", will not buy it.

[spidermike007]

Perhaps campaigns at the highest levels should be created, to educate Thais about how their dark skin makes them MORE beautiful. A kind of a take off of the "black is beautiful" campaigns you used to see in the US. Most Thais I meet have no idea how lovely their dark skin is. They have been indoctrinated for so long, by these toxic skin care companies, and the nonsense notions on Thai TV, that dark skinned people are all poor farmers. All the rich people you see on Thai TV are milky white. They reinforce these racist stereotypes. How many Thai women do you see on the beach tanning themselves? I have always thought a great theme for a girly bar would be the "Chocolate Bar". Only brown girls are allowed to apply for positions. It would be so much fun to be able to say, "Sorry, but you do not qualify. You are too white. Nobody would want you here. Only dark girls are considered desirable here." The darker the better. From middle level cocoa on up. Since many of us farengs consider their darkness a symbol of their beauty, I think it would be a real hit. And perhaps it would be the beginning of the Thai people embracing the beauty within their darkness.

[slapout]

I understand the commercial was a result of the local marketing plan. What is acceptable in Thailand in many cases is laughable in the real world.

The products themselselves are a result of demand by a part of society that considers physical beauty (defined by others) to be the way to success. These same people have ignored what makes the majority of those on top, successful. If you could look closely at those who use these products, you will probably find they spend money on good luck amulets, buy lottery tickets based on haphazard sighting, thoughts, dreams, feelings, believe in ghosts etc

Anyone who would take any product promotion as truth would probably spend money on all kinds of quack proposals. I have seen some products that the proclaims it enhances IQ, blood pressure, bowel movement regularity, eliminantes aches/pains and increases physical performance. The only one I have found that approaches this claim in the consumers mindset is a quart of 110 proof Wild Turkey.