Woman in ‘racist’ Dove ad breaks her silence: ‘I was proud’

Viewers recently criticized a video advertisement by Dove for being "racist" against a particular skin color. The woman featured in the video campaign has issued her statement and published this on The Guardian.

The controversial advertisement of the well-known brand showed three different women – a white, black and Asian woman. The black woman was shown removing her shirt which was used as a transition to reveal another model who has a white skin color.

In a recent piece on The Guardian, Lola Ogunyemi, the black female model in the advertisement said the video was “misinterpreted,” saying that she was able to represent her community through the campaign.

Ogunyemi added that having this opportunity given by this internationally-acclaimed brand “felt like the perfect moment for” her “to remind the world” that her race is beautiful and “valued.” She has a Nigerian descent but was born in London and raised in Atlanta.

This model also said that she is aware of the society’s perspective upon “dark-skinned people, especially women.” However, she noted that her “friends and family loved” the video. They even congratulated her “for looking fabulous and for representing Black Girl Magic.”

Upset over causing outrage

Those who were able to see the advertisement even planned to boycott the brand because of the alleged “racial” tones in the video. Meanwhile, Ogunyemi said that she was “upset” over the “widespread outrage” of an ad that made her “excited to promote the strength of her race.”

Furthermore, she wished that Dove should have defended itself for having this “creative vision and the choice to include...

an unequivocally dark-skinned black woman as a face of their campaign.” She added that she is also aware of previous advertisements that have sparked outrage from the public because of their offensive nature.

Issued an apology

Dove has already issued an apology over the controversial video, The Telegraph reported.

They expressed regret over the offense that it has brought to viewers, adding that it “did not represent the diversity of real beauty.”

Dove is a brand that provides hair care, skin care, and deodorant products. According to their official website, they even have campaigns that focused on raising the self-esteem of women.

The post has been removed and the company has not released any other content related to the ad. Ogunyemi also said, “I am not just some silent victim of a mistaken beauty campaign. I am strong, I am beautiful, and I will not be erased.”