Cadbury Ad Referencing Naomi Campbell Not Racist Says UK Watchdog

A UK watchdog has officially dismissed complaints from Naomi Campbell that Cadbury's use of her name in a recent advisement was racist, reports the Guardian.

The ad for Cadbury's new Bliss chocolate bar read, "Move over Naomi, there's a new diva in town," with the candy bar resting on a pile of diamonds.

Campbell accused Cadbury of comparing her to chocolate because of her skin color, saying, "It's upsetting to be described as chocolate, not just for me, but for all black women and black people."

The company initially defended the ad, claiming that it was the supermodel's infamous diva attitude, not her race, that it intended to invoke.

Now, after Cadbury apologized and removed the ad, Britain's Advertising Standards Authority has ruled that the ad was not racist after all.

According to the Guardian, the ASA council ruled that the advertisement was "likely to be understood to refer to Naomi Campbell's reputation for 'diva-style' behaviour rather than her race."

The watchdog concluded that the ad, therefore, posed no real threat. ASA told the Guardian, "On this basis the council decided that the ad was unlikely to be seen as racist or to cause serious or widespread offence."

See the ad in question below:

Watch this video for more on Naomi Campbell:

Comments

[JKPHILLY]

03:22 PM on 06/22/2011

I agree with that ruling...it is not racist.

[bituj]

03:13 PM on 06/21/2011

THIS NAOMI CAMPBELL IS ONE UGLY SPOILT BRAT

SHE SHUD JUST GO AWAY INTO THE JUNGLE AND NOT RETURN.

WASTE OF TIME SHE IS

[Sharon Nyantekyi-Anane]

05:08 PM on 06/21/2011

The jungle? Really? Why don't you go away from humanity and not return?

[camp1234]

02:07 PM on 06/22/2011

learn to spell.

[Bleedin Taxes]

01:25 PM on 06/21/2011

Geez... next thing you'll see is chocolate banned! I'm just wondering when saltine crackers will get the same treatment.

[cathclaire]

12:07 PM on 06/21/2011

SO Naomi is offended by the word 'Diva' because she has a junk attitude... BUT she'd get zero support if she complained about that and said it was defaming he character or anything, because well, take a look at her track record with accusations of staff abuse and outrageous celebrity demands. She's going to at least get SOME support if she says "race" and associates it to "being called chocolate" (which was her complaint, but no where in this ad is she being called chocolate, she's being called a diva who's being easily replaced by chocolate). She's so stupid for even trying this out. Besides, anyone remember a certain Snickers commercial where Ms Aretha Franklin herself was the 'diva when you're hungry' rep?? So you're saying 'diva' is something to be offended by and chocolate is racists? I like to see you say that to Aretha... 'diva's probably the nicest thing Naomi's been called lately. Get over it.

[jokinok1]

12:04 PM on 06/21/2011

Didn't the mayor of New Orleans say it would be a "chocolate city" after Katrina?

[Tom Airhart]

05:13 PM on 06/21/2011

Yep, that would be Ray Nagen former New Orleans Mayor.

[sahpdm]

12:01 PM on 06/21/2011

There is a lot of money to be made for people who play the race card.
Jesse Jackson was made millions!
FJJ

[Dennis Adams]

12:01 PM on 06/21/2011

After reading the article and looking at so many of the comments, I think it would be good to hear the opinions of Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton.

[jbanderson4249]

12:25 PM on 06/21/2011

This is a candy bar for goodness sakes. There are greater issues going on in the world than one diva's need for publicity at all times.

[Tom Airhart]

05:16 PM on 06/21/2011

Al wlll go on CNN International and Sky News with Naomi at his side saying that he's going to sue.

[sylviecurie]

11:56 AM on 06/21/2011

Of course, the ad was not racist - simply the product of black feigned hyper-sensitivity used to great effect to promote a hidden agenda, which, in all likelihood, was contrived to extract some money from someone else. The term "racism" implies a degree of strong ill will or hatred against others based on race, which clearly was not the case here. So, folks, don't get suckered into buying into such outrageous claims.

[jbanderson4249]

12:24 PM on 06/21/2011

Well written, you are so right on. I thought the ad was really cute, and did not think of Naomi as chocolate, but the diva attitude. It seems to me she is the one with a problem about her race. Most of the comments I read when the first article came out, was that she just wanted recongnitian and thought she could get some money out of it. Thank goodness someone saw the right of the ad.

[kimcrdr]

11:31 AM on 06/21/2011

of course it wasnt racist..she should have been proud to be considered a Diva...instead she wanted to hollar racist...I wonder what decade people will quit hollaring your racist over the simplest things that are said????

[bonitabud1]

11:15 AM on 06/21/2011

MLK died to rid us of the race card. In the last two years it sure has raised its ugly head again. We now have Rev Wrights deciple. As a white male I had Rev Stevens ( a black man) as a mentor. I will never be president but I do not need the race card either. As long as we have to depend on the color of our skin to obtain power and wealth we will never be welcome in the kingdom of our god whatever his form or name.

[leighalittletyke]

10:54 AM on 06/21/2011

Well if she didn't act like such a diva in the first place, they could have used Kim Kardashian instead. I mean, she already revolves the world around herself. What's one more ad?

[Voivode Vlad]

10:52 AM on 06/21/2011

I have to admit I was surprised at this ad even being thought racist. To me, it seemed a direct reference to her attitude, hence the diva reference.

[Pam512]

11:52 AM on 06/21/2011

Did you automatically think of Naomi Campbell? I didn't. I don't know how, unless they use a last name, anybody can assume that they are the subject of a product or conversation. Once you put yourself out there in the public spotlight, you need to learn how to take the "hits". Otherwise, be common folk like the rest of us.

[helburnr]

10:51 AM on 06/21/2011

I suppose if the Diva Liza Minnelli on the bed of diamonds, Naomi would have whined about Cadbury not useing her because she was Black(sorry)chacolate...Give me a break

[RobTheBl0gger]

10:48 AM on 06/21/2011

Just like defense attourneys yell out "objection" at every possible moment, blacks yell out "racist" since it's their go to defense and in most cases, it works for them.

[turkpol]

11:16 AM on 06/21/2011

Do you mean to suggest we live in a racist-free country?

[Dennis Adams]

11:59 AM on 06/21/2011

No, racism is alive and thriving in Chicago, Detroit, St. Louis, Philadelphia, etc.

[RobTheBl0gger]

07:51 PM on 06/21/2011

I don't see how you make that connection to what i just said. What i said is that the black EASILY throw that out in defense of just about everything white people say about them that they (blacks) disagree with. If i say obama is a horrible president, black people would call me a racist just because i'm white.

[rlkretzmeier]

10:47 AM on 06/21/2011

I am white. I will complain to the powers that be the next time I see and ad for toilet paper...associating me with an a**. How rude of them! Maybe I could sue as well, for some other equally vague reason......

[wildirishdream]

11:24 AM on 06/21/2011

...... and heyyyy :-/... isn't the Cadbury Bunny 'WHITE'! and makes chicken noises? I might be offended on so many levels now. Because I'm white, does that make me a bunny with a speech impediment that also pops little eggs from my fluffy tail area? Do the chicken noises imply that as a white bunny, I am also afraid (chicken), Ooo and wait.. The Cadbury Bunny Tri-outs.... they seem to be looking to replace the 'white' bunny with a different colored animal.. O*M*G! That could be racist. I need to call a lawyer.
.. yeah.. that sounds about as far a stretch as the poor insulted 'Diva'. ... What do you say guys - class action lawsuit!?