Hindustan Unilever has decided to drop the word ‘Fair’ from its product range of ‘Fair & Lovely.’ But Twitter is not quite convinced that this decision is more than a cosmetic change. Especially since the brand has for years perpetuated colourism and ideal beauty standards amongst women in South Asian countries.
Is it simply a change in packaging? Aren’t the products still going to sell the same product in a different bottle or box now? Does the change in terminology even make a difference when the product remains the same and when everyone already knows what it has stood for, for y
We’re committed to a skin care portfolio that’s inclusive of all skin tones, celebrating the diversity of beauty. That’s why we’re removing the words ‘fairness’, ‘whitening’ & ‘lightening’ from products, and changing the Fair & Lovely brand name.https://t.co/W3tHn6dHqE
— Unilever #StaySafe (@Unilever) June 25, 2020
When this statement was announced, Twitter couldn’t take it sitting down.
I don’t see an apology anywhere for your years of nationwide propaganda, fueling anxiety and bias based on skin colour.
— Siddharth Singh (@siddharth3) June 25, 2020
HUL fighting racism by dropping “Fair” from Fair & Lovely but continuing to sell the product. pic.twitter.com/uZ4Md2xwPu
— Sagar (@sagarcasm) June 25, 2020
Activists working against sexism and fair skin bias! pic.twitter.com/U0Paynm1g1
— Abhigya Maheshwari (@ThePinkPasta) June 25, 2020
Finally – a long time coming. Congratulations to the Leadership and team for taking this step. How about rebranding it as a moisturiser and moving away from anything colour related? Let’s not wait till 2050 for that to happen?
— Radhika Khurana (@RadhikaKhuranaJ) June 25, 2020
HUL to drop “Fair” from Fair & Lovely as a support to fight #racism.
— Riya (@jhampakjhum) June 25, 2020
HUL and other fairness creams be like: pic.twitter.com/zYV6HFljKy
a tiny, baby one. for them. they get to rebrand and be seen as the woke heroes.
— Zareen. (@b_zareen) June 25, 2020
we get a repackaged product that everyone will use for the same reason, while it's advertised as 'glow' or some other nonsense.
All Fairness Cream Companies after Fair & Lovely pic.twitter.com/C63cuGAZ5I
— alpha dude zone (@alphadudezone) June 25, 2020
To clarify: you still intend to sell and profit off skin bleaching creams, and creae insecurities in 3rd world countries, you will just remove certain words?
— அறிவு🏁 (@vozhi) June 25, 2020
So… @unilever is still going to sell skin lightening cream in South Asia and will just call it “Lovely” from now on? https://t.co/6R5LrhHIn9
— fatima bhutto (@fbhutto) June 25, 2020
People reacting to this with “better late than never” is what actually let these culprits get away with their corruption. They know they ll be forgiven too soon. Disgusting.
— Majda Shabbir (@MajdaShabbir) June 25, 2020
Hey @Unilever Why sudden awakening or effects of #BlackLivesMatter , The damage is already done! What will happen by removing words, There are so many biased ads where a person gets appreciation by skin colour. First apologize and remove all shitty manipulative advertisements😏.
— Ayaan (@wowayan) June 25, 2020
Unilever removes fair from fair&lovely but still continue to sell it
— Aashish (@heyaashishh) June 25, 2020
Colour discrimination- pic.twitter.com/0NlynRXQ7x
Only if this could absolve this company of the racism they have perpetuated for years.
— does not compute (@MrPettywise) June 25, 2020
Yeah after all these years of making people insecure bout their own colour now what have you decided to do change the name,it’s like the same shit in a new bottle what you gonna name it ultra glow or some shit
— bushra (@Ihateavacadoss) June 25, 2020
for ages you convinced dark people that they need to be fair, that somehow they are not good the way they are,
— VipulMehtas (@vipulmehta07) June 25, 2020
you are only committed to money,
stop using such power words and sounding like moral police.
Should the company switch over to dropping the product?
