Marketing Misstep: Nivea Pulls Ad That Sparked Racial Controversy

According to Nivea, the shaggy, disheveled look is out. But in an attempt to relay that message, the skincare brand is in the midst of a public-relations blunder for releasing an ad that many believed was racist.

The contentious print ad, which appeared in the September issue of Esquire, shows a well-groomed black man about to toss what looks like a rubber mask with scruffy facial hair and a large afro. The short-haired model, who is clean-shaven and wearing preppy casual Friday attire, sharply contrasts his former, pre-Nivea-using symbolic self. The text emblazoned over the model: RE-CIVILIZE YOURSELF.

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The text in particular has been deemed insensitive and racist, as the idea of being “uncivilized” has historically been associated with African Americans, Africans, and pretty much anyone who isn’t white, Western or “first world.”

The ad, which is part of Nivea for Men’s “Look Like You Give a Damn” campaign, was heavily criticized: The “message couldn’t be clearer: natural hair on a black man isn’t a style preference or a nod to afrocentrism–it’s straight-up uncivilized,” wrote GOOD’s Nona Willis Aronowitz.

Public outrage ensued, especially on Twitter, which resulted in a prompt apology by Nivea.

Beiersdorf AG, the parent company of Nivea, released the following statement to CNN: “After realizing that this ad is misleading, it was immediately withdrawn.” The apology also emphasized that Nivea values and represents “diversity, tolerance, and equal opportunity.” Nivea USA also posted on its Facebook page: “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.”

The new marketing campaign includes many variations of this ad, including one that features a white male model holding an even creepier looking rubber head. But the text in that version reads: SIN CITY ISN’T AN EXCUSE TO LOOK LIKE HELL. No other ad, other than the one featuring the black model, refers to the term “civilize.”

One of the latest models for Nivea cosmetics is recording artist Rihanna, and some are calling for the singer to sever her contract.

Kai Ma is a TIME contributor. Find her on Twitter at @Kai_Ma or on Google+. You can also continue the discussion on TIME‘s Facebook page and on Twitter at @TIME.

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Ford and Twitter Talk Keys to Marketing to Millennials

For Ford, millennials — which the car maker describes as people between the ages of 16-32 — are a challenging proposition. Never mind buying a car — this generation is getting drivers licenses later, and less often, than previous generations.

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But when it comes to Twitter, millennials are over-indexing. Twitter’s director of sales marketing, Shane Steele, citing third-party research, said 55% of the Twitter audience is made up of millennials, compared to 40% of the rest of the internet. Ford has worked with Twitter to reach the social-media savvy set for years, having had a strong presence on Twitter since July 2008.

“This group of consumers is an incredible market opportunity, but the way that millennials interact with brands is totally different from earlier generations,” said Sheryl Connelly, global consumer trends and futuring manager at Ford. Ford Motor Co. executives stopped by Twitter headquarters in San Francisco today for a panel discussion about millennial consumers.

Ms. Connelly added that millennials don’t want to be talked at by a brand but instead want to be part of the conversation. “Understanding their priorities helps us market to them, so that we’re giving a message that is relevant to them.”

On Twitter, Ford said it has a chance to glimpse at the millennial mindset and figure out what this generation wants, likes and needs from its products.

While Ford execs said they are not building a car specifically aimed at millennials, they recognize that the old marketing message — showing off the engine, the speed, the car body itself — is not working for the new generation. Millennials are not as interested as baby boomers were in a car as a status symbol. The car for them is about basic transportation — but adding technology to the car turns the car into a “lifestyle enabler,” said Ms. Connelly.

Ford outlined several keys to getting millennials interested in Ford cars that boiled down to giving them what they’ve come to expect from their offline and online life: connectivity, individuality and instant gratification.

Self-expression. Ford said that because one in six millennials have a tattoo, the car maker lets consumers “tattoo” their cars. Allowing consumers a way to customize their cars — offering choices of colors and patterns inside and out — is a way to get consumers to view the the automobile as a “lifestyle enhancer,” not only as a vehicle.

Connectivity. For millennials, the symbol of freedom and expression is not a car, but a cell phone, Ford said, so connecting the cellphone to the car is no longer an option, but a standard. Other data (weather, traffic, geography) is available in the car because millennials are used to having information at their disposal, no matter where they are. (This connectivity, Ford emphasized, is done with driver safety in mind.)

Gamification. Millennials have been playing video games since near birth, so incorporating gaming dynamics into the car is a natural extension of the way these consumers live their lives. Ford said that they believe placing game elements into the car will attract more drivers. For example, some cars have a video-game-like smart gauge with a visual display of leaves and flowers that either grow or shrink depending on how optimally the driver is using the car. This “game” can be played against one or multiple people to see who can grow the biggest leaves and flowers.

Access. Ford said its research shows that when millennials mention a brand, whether on Twitter or Facebook, they expect a response — a human response. Unlike prior generations that were accustomed to one uniform marketing message from a monolithic brand, millennials expect to be met where they are, on an individual or group basis and they expect their concerns to be addressed almost immediately. Having team manage consumer relations on social media is another must when it comes to millennials.

Brand as content. More than any previous generation, millennials share content they think is cool and authentic, whether that content is created by individuals or brands. By watching the Twitter dashboard, Ford can see exactly what content is most shared and what search terms and hashtags bring millennials to Ford.

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