Summer's Eve Ads Pulled After Controversy (VIDEO)

Surprise, surprise: after a hefty helping of media pressure, Summer's Eve has pulled its arguably-racist talking-vagina ads, Adweek reports.

Recently debuted as part of the company's "Hail to the V" campaign, the series of three videos was accused of relying on racial stereotypes to address different women, including depicting a white hand that "hits the gym" and a black hand that talks about styling her hair and going clubbing.

Stan Richards, founder of The Richards Group that created the spots, said the ads were aiming to be "relatable" and not offensive, Adweek writes. In fact, most of you were split on whether the clips were troubling at all -- with 56 percent of you calling them "OFFENSIVE! And totally racist," and 44 percent of you voting for "HARMLESS! Nothing to see here."

But widely-publicized criticism of the campaign, including a scathing spoof on "The Colbert Report," proved to be too much. On Wednesday, Summer's Eve removed the videos from YouTube and its own website. The Richards Group's PR rep stated, "The decision to take the videos down is about acknowledging that there's backlash here. We want to move beyond that and focus on the greater mission."

Which is...making women believe they need to wash their lady bits or else they'll start talking back?

Check out one below and see what the buzz was all about.

RE-WATCH:

Comments

[ghee99]

05:39 PM on 08/21/2011

we are so uptight as a society, we have to use a hand

it would be so much better if we, as a society, could have an actual "V" in the commercial

with the actress opening and closing her legs, to make it "talk" as the dubbed a voice over it

but alas....

we are too puritanical for that, and as such i dont see it happening anytime soon.

[PotholesInMyLawn]

02:20 PM on 08/21/2011

I was late to the game on this... It is odd...yes... racist...hmmm doubtful.
I guess since men personify their units the V campaign was trying to do the same...

Seeing this from the other teams side.. has me thinking that I should no longer
refer to my little guy as Mr. Wiggly The Gentleman's Sausage or even as the little guy.

A talking Vjay Singh made me cringe This ad was sorta uncomfortable to watch.. I'm guessing women have the same reaction to guys who name their naughty bits.

This is kinda like the Axe ads that tells us boys that we need to wash up down under and then spray something on them that is pesticide strength to battle funk with brute force... .. this ad is tell ladies that they have issues that soap can't tackle.. really do we stink up the place that bad?? Somethings may be better unadvertised...

The should have just shown the real thing and nobody would have said a world...

[JMullen3]

09:56 PM on 08/20/2011

Why do some people find this racist? Odd, sure, but racist? Macmillian online defines "racist: "as someone who does not like or respect people who belong to races that are different from their own and who believes their race is better than others." http://www.onelook.com/?w=racist&ls=a

Not seeing it.

[Quatonia Brown]

10:22 PM on 08/01/2011

I don't think they were racist, if you answer to sterotypes then thats on YOU!!

[DMT8665]

09:42 PM on 08/01/2011

This was a creative and brilliant campaign.
Look how many people are talking about it. ( the intended purpose of Advertising/Marketing)

Me personally, I never met a burgina I didn't like. I celebrate all buginas, talking or not.

[Carla Hufstedler]

02:11 PM on 09/03/2011

Then call them by their proper name. It's not that difficult. Vagina.

[Gigity]

03:27 PM on 08/01/2011

Surprised none of the hands had a string hanging out. Go for realism, right? Seriously, though, these ads were just bad.

[ThaGovna]

01:44 PM on 08/01/2011

"Which is...making women believe they need to wash their lady bits or else they'll start talking back?"

Lol! You guys have Daniel Tosh writing for you now?

[fmn]

12:25 PM on 08/01/2011

I guess I see how it's offensive to people, but racist how?

[DaniFoxy]

11:03 AM on 08/01/2011

weird

[goofygus1967]

07:39 AM on 07/30/2011

I guess I'm more put off by a talking vagina than anything else.

[Gigity]

03:28 PM on 08/01/2011

Yep, because a talking vagina implies a mouth, which implies teeth...in a vagina. NO!

[tangelan]

10:05 PM on 07/29/2011

When marketing campaigns go terribly wrong, can you sue the ad company?

[ezwalker]

06:38 PM on 07/29/2011

Douching is very bad for your health. Bathing and mild washing is enough. Ask any doctor. This is a racist, offensive, stupid, and pathetic ad for an unnecessary product. I'm surprised this ignorant drivel was ever aired.

[Chelseay Reynolds]

04:26 PM on 07/31/2011

I'm pretty sure it's just an ad for moisturizing body wash. Not unnecessary at all.

[Pyjamazombie]

10:33 PM on 07/31/2011

If it were, I don't think there'd be so much mention of the "Wunder Down Under"..

[Michelle Baba Raiford]

06:00 PM on 07/29/2011

Racist or not, it's a stupid ad campaign.

[GoDems2012]

05:14 PM on 07/29/2011

This is just ridiculous. I know racism. This wasn't racism.

[ediva75]

01:44 AM on 07/30/2011

Ok so the white woman is suggested to use feminine cloths after she comes from taking care of her body in the gym. But the black woman should use feminine cloths before she goes and hits the club? Ok if that's the case does that mean black women don't go to the gym and only get their work out on at the club? I mean to be a black woman and not notice subtle racial offenses like that is mind boogling but oh well!

[SEXYLEO]

03:22 PM on 07/30/2011

DITTO!

[Gigity]

03:29 PM on 08/01/2011

What you're describing isnt racism. It's stupid, sure, but it aint racism.

[SEXYLEO]

03:22 PM on 07/30/2011

IF, that is a picture of you...I seriously think, you need to expand your education, your brain or just try, common-sense!

[GoDems2012]

04:18 PM on 07/30/2011

The picture is of me. And I think for myself. Offensive? yes. Racist? No. People are being sensitive when there are real issues at at.

[mjpnrlp]

04:59 PM on 07/29/2011

The heck with whether this ad is racist or not (which didn't enter my mind the first time I saw it). This is the most distasteful, inappropriate, ridiculous ad I have seen in a very long time! Lordy, what is this world coming to. The next thing you know there will be a talking penis extolling the virtues of some jock-itch preparation or ED drug! Enough with the V-JJ ads!! Anyone with a brain knows how to take care of their personal hygiene. And if they don't, Summer's Eve isn't going to do the trick.