A MultiCultClassics visitor provided the casting spec sheet depicted above, and it’s a real beauty. Unilever’s Dove Men is looking for a “real family” that can be Caucasian, Hispanic or Ambiguous, with “good hair” and “light color skin.” Oh, and they must be non-union too, meaning they’ll receive crumbs for their services. Didn’t Dove learn its lesson in 2011 with another ugly mess demonstrating the brand’s cultural cluelessness? Maybe it’s time to change the product name to Dove White Men.
6 comments:
That's more than just painful. Isn't making a job ad, even a casting one, hinge on skin color and hair texture a full on civil rights violation?
Paging Mr. Cyrus Mehri, or anyone who can answer that.
And in that same vain, er, vein:
http://www.cnn.com/2016/01/08/asia/thai-racist-white-beauty-ad/index.html
Hey Highjive, Agency spy is showing you love.
http://www.adweek.com/agencyspy/dove-wants-real-families-with-light-color-skin-for-its-next-campaign/100165
Ugh. The comments on that Agency Spy post.
My heart breaks because I see how impossible change in our industry is ever going to be.
That's not even an uphill battle, that's just raw, naked racial ignorance that's everywhere in advertising, there in all it's glory.
Dayum, Agency Spy. Are people really THAT stupid?
I guess the brown paper bag test must be a figment of our imaginations and any casting call that mentions 'good hair' is just us... lemme see, what was the reasoning?
Ah, yes. If we're offended that a casting call for a major brand only wants non-black people with 'good hair,' then it's because the "black community imposes all the rules."
Mkay.
Pretty sure that’s a double violation of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
“It is unlawful to discriminate against any employee or APPLICANT FOR EMPLOYMENT because of race or color in regard to hiring… Discrimination on the basis of an immutable characteristic associated with race, such as SKIN COLOR, HAIR TEXTURE, or certain facial features violates Title VII.”
Next question, is anyone able/capable to do anything about this, or does it just get swept under the rug like so much of what the ad industry does?
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