Sanex’s banned ad should be a warning to brands

Skincare brand Sanex was recently in hot water for a new ad which allegedly featured racially discriminatory content. The short video depicts Black skin as 'problematic', while its White counterpart is healed and unblemished, raising concerns that the before-and-after element of the ad was perpetuating negative racial stereotypes.

While the best adverts are made to be memorable, Sanex has caught the public eye for all the wrong reasons. Despite the brand's objections to criticism, it finds itself at the centre of a serious debate around the responsibility of advertisers and the imagery they depict.

The ad begins with a voiceover saying, "To those who might scratch day and night. To those whose skin will feel dried out even by water,” alongside extreme visuals of scratched and cracked Black skin. “Try to take a shower with the new Sanex skin therapy," the ad continues, cutting to visuals of a White woman showering (sans bodily ailments), “Relief could be as simple as a shower,” it concludes.

After receiving multiple complaints, the Advertising Standards Agency (ASA) assessed the ad, concluding that it "included a racial stereotype and was therefore likely to cause serious offence." Citing the 'before and after' framing of the ad, the ASA claimed “the ad was likely to reinforce the negative and offensive racial stereotype that black skin was problematic and that white skin was superior."

Despite claims that using both Black and White models was in the name of inclusivity, the ad has since been banned in the UK by the ASA. Sadly, this isn't a standalone case, as watch brand Swatch was recently called out for 'racist' marketing. Whether or not you agree with the ASA's judgement, the response shows that there's a fine balance to be struck when it comes to advertising.