Group 1
The ad: Dove is a popular skincare brand that targets numerous countries worldwide with their
moisturizers, deodorants, and hair care products. In 2017, Dove released a social media ad on their
Facebook page of a black woman “transforming” into a white woman.
After using Dove's body lotion, the advert showed a black woman removing her top to reveal a white
woman underneath. As you can probably tell, there are many things wrong with this advert.
Why it's an unethical ad: The controversy caused by the advert is as clear as day. Not only is the
advert racist, but it’s also insulting to viewers.
The campaign was instantly removed from Facebook while the owners of the brand Unilever
released a statement apologizing for the advert. The scary thing about this advert is that it must have
been approved during the marketing process, which makes it worrying that nobody thought it would
offend.
This also wasn’t the first time Dove received backlash over their ads. In 2011 they came under fire for
a similar image showing the transition of a black woman to a white woman after using their lotion.
Tweets from users showed that people don’t just forget about these types of ads overnight. A bad ad
campaign can leave you with a negative reputation for years.
1. How does the advertisement navigate cultural diversity, and to what extent does it reflect
a deep understanding of the cultural differences of its target audience? Discuss how
effective or ineffective the advertisement is in addressing these cultural nuances.
2. Evaluate whether the advertisement reinforces or challenges cultural stereotypes. How do
these portrayals impact the audience's perception of the cultures depicted, and what
implications might this have on intercultural communication?
3. To what extent does the advertisement use universal themes or values that can transcend
cultural boundaries? Analyze how the advertisement achieves or fails to achieve cultural
inclusivity, particularly in terms of its message and symbolism.
4. Analyze the use of language and visual elements in the advertisement. How does it
communicate across linguistic and cultural differences? Consider how the use of specific
language, gestures, or symbols might either facilitate or hinder intercultural
communication.
5. Does the advertisement promote intercultural empathy and understanding, or does it
prioritize commercial gain over cultural sensitivity? Provide a critical assessment of the
advertisement's approach and discuss the potential consequences for the brand's global
reputation.
Group 2
The ad: In April 2024, dating app Bumble released an ad campaign that sparked outrage online. As
shown in the image, the billboard ad campaign included messages such as “A vow of celibacy is not
the answer” and “Thou shalt not give up on dating and become a nun”.
Bumble released a statement saying the campaign was supposed to bring humor to “a community
frustrated by modern dating”.
Why it’s an unethical ad: It’s not hard to see why this ad campaign is highly controversial. Critics and
social media users alike panned the ad as tasteless and counterproductive to the company’s stated
aim of empowering women.
Unsurprisingly, the backlash came thick and fast - and Bumble was quick to release a statement
stating “we made a mistake”. The company has since removed the campaign from billboards across
the US, and has offered the advertising space to the National Domestic Violence Hotline.
1. How does the advertisement navigate cultural diversity, and to what extent does it reflect
a deep understanding of the cultural differences of its target audience? Discuss how
effective or ineffective the advertisement is in addressing these cultural nuances.
2. Evaluate whether the advertisement reinforces or challenges cultural stereotypes. How do
these portrayals impact the audience's perception of the cultures depicted, and what
implications might this have on intercultural communication?
3. To what extent does the advertisement use universal themes or values that can transcend
cultural boundaries? Analyze how the advertisement achieves or fails to achieve cultural
inclusivity, particularly in terms of its message and symbolism.
4. Analyze the use of language and visual elements in the advertisement. How does it
communicate across linguistic and cultural differences? Consider how the use of specific
language, gestures, or symbols might either facilitate or hinder intercultural
communication.
5. Does the advertisement promote intercultural empathy and understanding, or does it
prioritize commercial gain over cultural sensitivity? Provide a critical assessment of the
advertisement's approach and discuss the potential consequences for the brand's global
reputation.
Group 3
The ad: In 2023, high street clothing brand Zara released, and subsequently removed, a highly
controversial ad campaign showcasing model Kristen McMenamy in a setting that was supposed to
resemble a sculptor’s studio.
The campaign, titled “The Jacket”, showcased McMenamy posing amongst rubble and limbless
statues, with the model holding mannequins wrapped in white plastic and cloth.
Why it’s an unethical ad: Around the time this ad was released, the war between Israel and Gaza
had just begun - and images of the ongoing tragic events were all over the news, as well as social
media.
Understandably, images of mannequins wrapped in cloth amongst rubble and destruction were seen
as highly insensitive, particularly in the context of the ongoing conflict.
The backlash Zara received focused on how the imagery used mirrored the tragic nature of the
ongoing war, which many called distasteful and highly inappropriate.
The campaign led to many consumers boycotting the brand, with #BoycottZara trending on X
(formerly Twitter) and even protests outside of Zara stores shortly after the campaign launched.
In response to the backlash, Zara withdrew the campaign and issued a statement saying they
regretted a “misunderstanding” about the images.
1. How does the advertisement navigate cultural diversity, and to what extent does it reflect
a deep understanding of the cultural differences of its target audience? Discuss how
effective or ineffective the advertisement is in addressing these cultural nuances.
2. Evaluate whether the advertisement reinforces or challenges cultural stereotypes. How do
these portrayals impact the audience's perception of the cultures depicted, and what
implications might this have on intercultural communication?
3. To what extent does the advertisement use universal themes or values that can transcend
cultural boundaries? Analyze how the advertisement achieves or fails to achieve cultural
inclusivity, particularly in terms of its message and symbolism.
4. Analyze the use of language and visual elements in the advertisement. How does it
communicate across linguistic and cultural differences? Consider how the use of specific
language, gestures, or symbols might either facilitate or hinder intercultural
communication.
5. Does the advertisement promote intercultural empathy and understanding, or does it
prioritize commercial gain over cultural sensitivity? Provide a critical assessment of the
advertisement's approach and discuss the potential consequences for the brand's global
reputation.
Group 4
The ad: In 2023, video game developer Blizzard released their highly anticipated Diablo sequel,
Diablo 4. Around the same time, Canada was being ravaged by unprecedented wildfires - devastation
the likes of which Canada had never even come close to seeing before. A record 18.5 hectares went
up in flames - an area about twice the size of Portugal.
During the record-breaking wildfires, smoke and brimstone filled the sky which turned orange for
miles around - including New York, where the game was heavily advertised via a billboard campaign.
As the image shows, the smoke-filled sky made Diablo 4’s hell-based setting feel all the more real.
The coincidence made some social media users jokingly question whether someone from Blizzard
was walking around Canada carelessly lighting matches…
Why it’s an unethical ad: Whilst perhaps not as unethical as some of the other ads on this list, the
after-effects from the Canadian wildfires were devastating. Huge swaths of Canada’s boreal forests
were lost - a sanctuary for bears, moose, endangered songbirds, hundreds of endangered species.
What’s more, over 1.7bn tons of planet-heating gasses were released as this crucial carbon bank
burned down. It wasn’t just animals and trees, though - two firefighter deaths and numerous
evacuations, including the 20,000 citizens of Yellowknife, made these wildfires some of the most
devastating in human history.
Within the larger context of the devastation, Blizzard’s “welcome to hell” tagline was viewed as
insensitive by many, and Blizzard received pressure to remove the ad from the affected areas.
1. How does the advertisement navigate cultural diversity, and to what extent does it reflect
a deep understanding of the cultural differences of its target audience? Discuss how
effective or ineffective the advertisement is in addressing these cultural nuances.
2. Evaluate whether the advertisement reinforces or challenges cultural stereotypes. How do
these portrayals impact the audience's perception of the cultures depicted, and what
implications might this have on intercultural communication?
3. To what extent does the advertisement use universal themes or values that can transcend
cultural boundaries? Analyze how the advertisement achieves or fails to achieve cultural
inclusivity, particularly in terms of its message and symbolism.
4. Analyze the use of language and visual elements in the advertisement. How does it
communicate across linguistic and cultural differences? Consider how the use of specific
language, gestures, or symbols might either facilitate or hinder intercultural
communication.
5. Does the advertisement promote intercultural empathy and understanding, or does it
prioritize commercial gain over cultural sensitivity? Provide a critical assessment of the
advertisement's approach and discuss the potential consequences for the brand's global
reputation.
Group 5
The ad: Nivea is a German skincare brand that is known for manufacturing antiperspirants, face
creams, and plenty of other cosmetics. To promote one of their new invisible antiperspirants, Nivea
decided to use the tagline “white is purity” on their social media campaign. The ad featured a
woman wearing a white top while looking out the window with the slogan in bold blue letters.
This ad was just one of a number of other ads from the same campaign to promote their new
product.
Why it's an unethical ad: As you can probably see from the advert above, the choice of words for
this campaign was very poorly chosen. To make things worse, they specifically aimed the campaign at
people in the Middle East which caused many people to call the advert racist.
In addition to this, many right-wing groups started to promote the advert with some going as far as
saying Nivea was the official alt-right antiperspirant. Eventually, Nivea released a statement about
the controversial ads and immediately withdrew them after realizing the wording and context caused
offense to many viewers.
1. How does the advertisement navigate cultural diversity, and to what extent does it reflect
a deep understanding of the cultural differences of its target audience? Discuss how
effective or ineffective the advertisement is in addressing these cultural nuances.
2. Evaluate whether the advertisement reinforces or challenges cultural stereotypes. How do
these portrayals impact the audience's perception of the cultures depicted, and what
implications might this have on intercultural communication?
3. To what extent does the advertisement use universal themes or values that can transcend
cultural boundaries? Analyze how the advertisement achieves or fails to achieve cultural
inclusivity, particularly in terms of its message and symbolism.
4. Analyze the use of language and visual elements in the advertisement. How does it
communicate across linguistic and cultural differences? Consider how the use of specific
language, gestures, or symbols might either facilitate or hinder intercultural
communication.
5. Does the advertisement promote intercultural empathy and understanding, or does it
prioritize commercial gain over cultural sensitivity? Provide a critical assessment of the
advertisement's approach and discuss the potential consequences for the brand's global
reputation.
