Nivea Ad: Is 'Re-Civilize Yourself' Racist? (PHOTO, POLL)

Like Cadbury, Dove and Summer's Eve before it, Nivea may have just landed itself in hot water for a questionably racist ad.

As seen on Good, Nivea has created a series of print ads for its Revitalizing line of men's skincare that feature well-groomed men tossing away masks of their scraggly, pre-Nivea faces.

The one featuring a white model reads, "Sin City isn't an excuse to look like Hell." The spot featuring a black model says, "Re-civilize yourself."

Both ads fall under Nivea For Men's broader campaign, "Look Like You Give A Damn." None of the other ads included, however, make use of the "civilize oneself" angle.

Nivea's pick of slogans might have been entirely arbitrary. But, as many argue, it could be that the brand is playing on one of the most pervading racial stereotypes applied historically to the black community.

Take a look at the ad below and let us know -- is this advertisement offensive or innocent?

UPDATE: As of late afternoon on Thursday, Mashable writes, Nivea has pulled the ad in the wake of the backlash. The skincare company wrote on its Facebook page, "Thank you for caring enough to give us your feedback about the recent "Re-civilized" NIVEA FOR MEN ad. This ad was inappropriate and offensive. It was never our intention to offend anyone, and for this we are deeply sorry. This ad will never be used again. Diversity and equal opportunity are crucial values of our company."

Quick Poll

Is Nivea's "Re-Civilize Yourself" ad racist?

Absolutely -- the slogan would have never been used with a white model.

Nah -- just an unfortunate coincidence.

Share your vote on Facebook so your friends can take this poll

Comments

[Dustin Bolton]

03:42 PM on 10/13/2011

As a Black Male (one with "uncivilized" hair) I hardly find this ad racist just more corporate brain washing about image...

THIS however, is true RACISM in action
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/10/12/michelle-alexander-more-black-men-in-prison-slaves-1850_n_1007368.html?ir=Black+Voices&ref=fb&src=sp&comm_ref=false#sb=1874813,b=facebook

[Brandon Lott]

02:20 AM on 09/03/2011

"Re-Civilize Yourself" ... they just called me, my afro and beard uncivilized and somehow people can't see the racism in that. Really?

[zhaoyun2004]

02:09 PM on 09/02/2011

Ok, here is what I think:

Nivea messed up when they used the word "re-civilize" and implied that a man with a full beard and an "afro" is uncivilized. I take offense to that because there are some men who prefer a full beard and mustache. Does that make them "uncivilized"? I also take offense because I'm growing my hair into an "afro", and I am not uncivilized. It is my choice to grow my hair long, and civilized individuals have a choice to do whatever they please when it comes to their personal looks.

There are plenty of guys that look like the model in the ad, but guess what, they are in jail for committing crimes. I know drug dealers that are "clean cut" and shave everyday. So, are you telling me that they are civilized? On the other hand, there are plenty of guys that look like the mask in the advertisement and have master's degrees, Ph.D's, etc..

Let's get one thing straight. DO NOT call an "afro" unkempt or shaggy. An "afro" is nothing but a person with curly or kinky hair that is long. Just like a person with straight hair can have bad hair days, so can a person with curly hair.

Nivea should have found a model with hair equally as long as the mask's with a full beard and using their products have the models "afro" styled with a neatly trimmed and shaped beard and NOT COMPLETELY CUT OFF!

[jones]

08:10 AM on 09/01/2011

Its a wierd photo comp. I would love to know WHO thought it up.

[DR STANLEY]

10:28 AM on 08/29/2011

My highschool taught me a very important lesson in life, its not about colour or your race, its all about class and $$$$$$ ;)

[EpicBlackMan]

02:05 AM on 08/23/2011

When viewed in a vacuum, disconnected from the whole, the individual components of this ad seem inconsequential. But consider all components together and within the context of both the Nivea ad campaign and the deeply rooted stereotypes against blacks.
Company puts a respectable looking black man in a Nivea ad.....clearly not racist
Company has black man prefer short "clean cut" hair to afro......probably not racist
Company punctuates the ad with the words "re-civilize yourself".....maybe racist
Company does all of the above as part of a larger ad campaign.....probably not racist
Company produces clearly non-racist ads targeted to all non-black demographics...
....definitely influenced by racial stereotypes

For the non-critical thinker anything less than blatant racism isn't racism. But even though Nivea didn't drop an 'n' bomb or make its well-spoken, civilized black man do a monkey-dance, the ad plainly reflects subconscious racial stereotypes against blacks. Being an Epic Black Man, I think critically about the fact that Nivea strategically marketed multiple ads to various racial/ethnic groups and yet, somehow, only the black ad asserted that something about the black natural appearance, hair, or culture is inherently uncivilized. For me, that was the tipping point.

I think Nivea was sincere in its apology, but it baffles me that people refuse to acknowledge that hundreds of years institutionalized racism, white supremacy and white privilege affects how blacks are perceived and portrayed.

[realitycheck101a]

05:17 PM on 08/28/2011

Well said ! ! ! Sometimes things have to be dissected and labled for some people to get it....

[kcampbell]

04:25 PM on 08/30/2011

I concur, I took one look at that photo and thought, " How are these products going to cut his hair?" "Why would a man dress like that let himself go like that?" "Why couldn't his hair be the same but just with stubble?"

[Natives Mom]

04:16 PM on 08/22/2011

" IF U CANT TAKE THE HEAT DONT STAND SO CLOSE TO THE OVEN"....

NOW I WONDER HOW JEWISH PEOPLE WOULD FEEL ABOUT A JEWISH COMMERICAL WITH THAT SLOGAN!!!!!....

[1highstepper]

10:13 AM on 08/22/2011

It's not like the black guy was portrayed as ape-like or something to that effect. But I can understand both sides of the case.

[iveseenenough]

11:48 PM on 08/21/2011

Is this ad also racist to anyone????

http://www.flickr.com/photos/66712944@N08/6067760721/

[Chandler Bong]

10:18 PM on 08/21/2011

I believe we're being racist by discussing this.

[Chandler Bong]

10:17 PM on 08/21/2011

would we be having this discussion if that was a white guy in the picture?! why is it that every time we have something that involves an African American we start reading too much into it?!! White or African it's the same concept..lets forget the past and move on..I believe it's time we start worrying about more important matters..We're all equal in the end, so lets try to actually portray that..it doesn't matter what color you are, you're still human.

[StevieTheK]

04:50 PM on 08/21/2011

maybe the head needed a bone through its nose to make it completely over the top offensive

[tigercub]

12:03 PM on 08/21/2011

I think if they hadn't used the word "re-civilized", it would have been better... and if they had versions that spoke to the more unprofessional looking stereotypes of each race. Get the point, but maybe not the best tactic.

And I always wonder, don't they do some consumer testing/response before putting something like this out in the marketplace? I mean these huge companies have the resources. A few extra days to vet a concept is much better than the negative backlash of missing the mark and being marked racist or insensitive.

[oscartucker]

03:26 PM on 08/22/2011

I, like you, wondered if the ad was "tested" on an audience. I

[sextonfan]

10:17 AM on 08/21/2011

Why is it okay for tea-partiers to question mainstream media but it's not okay for black people to question the way they are represented in mainstream culture?

Stop trying to shame people into silence by accusing them of "playing the race card." The fact is that blacks are underrepresented in the advertising industry, and these ads are not created by us. It's entirely possible that the ads may misrepresent us or perpetuate stereotypes. I'm not saying that misrepresentation is intended, just that it might happen. And I don't see anything wrong with actively deconstructing ads and pointing out misrepresentation or bias.

As for this ad, while I don't think it's racist, I think anyone who is sensitive to today's socio-cultural environment might find it in poor taste. Black guy trades his 'fro for a clean-shaven more mainstream look: it can be interpreted as trading urban for mainstream culture. Again, in an environment where those on the right think black men should be doing just that, it's in poor taste.

[Yamagatagirl]

04:56 PM on 08/21/2011

Well said Sexton.....

[realitycheck101a]

05:23 PM on 08/28/2011

I second it ! ! !

[joceeco]

08:09 AM on 08/21/2011

This story is strange. Why didn't the Black model in the ad say something before they put it out for the public to see. Obviously he didn't think it was racist, or he would not have done it right?

[Itzamirakul]

01:24 PM on 08/22/2011

To the model it was a job and he perhaps did not even hear the voice-over material until he saw the ad when it was completed and shown on tv.

[oscartucker]

03:28 PM on 08/22/2011

The model doesn't always know all of the details.

[joceeco]

05:47 PM on 08/22/2011

...I hope he didn't know. Who else thinks that model looks a bit like Reggie Bush?