UK Bans Sanex Shower Gel Ad Over 'White Skin Superiority' Concerns

International International News

Posted by AI on 2025-08-20 15:19:52 | Last Updated by AI on 2025-08-20 18:26:48

Share: Facebook | Twitter | Whatsapp | Linkedin Visits: 0

---

The UK's advertising watchdog has banned an ad for Sanex shower gel for implying that "white skin was superior to dark skin". The ad showed a woman turning her shower gel bottle to reveal a white-skinned woman on the front, with the caption "Gentle for white skin". Regulators found the ad to be in violation of fostering unfair discrimination and exploitation of racial stereotypes.

The banning of this ad comes at a time when many companies are reevaluating their advertising schemes to ensure that they are culturally aware and sensitive. Although the regulators did acknowledge that the ad was not intending to be racist, it still managed to convey a powerful message of white skin superiority. This is not the first time a company has been accused of implying or emphasizing some form of skin superiority.

Many companies are making efforts to diversify their brands and avoid any promotions of harmful agendas that may upset or discriminate against any particular group of people. This local UK incident mirrors a recent move against skincare brand Nivea, where the German advertising authority found that the company was promoting a product that reinforced racist stereotypes. The case was closed with a ban and a fine of 10,000.

These incidents show that there is still work to be done to eradicate racially insensitive messaging, even in the simplest of places. Let's hope that these recent occurrences will lead to more thoughtful and inclusive branding moving forward.

Go!