Heinz has apologized twice in the past week over ad campaigns seen as racially insensitive. Both ran in Europe. On Monday, the company issued a mea culpa over its "Smiles" campaign, which featured people smiling with ketchup around their mouths, reports Ad Age. It seemed to play off the new Joker movie. But one of the images was a Black man, and critics said it "was strongly reminiscent of blackface and minstrel shows from the 19th and early 20th centuries, where Black men—as portrayed by white actors—were given exaggerated, clownish features, often including large red lips," per Ad Age. Amid a flurry of public criticism, the company responded:
- "As a consumer-obsessed company, we are actively listening and learning, and sincerely apologize for any offense caused by our recent 'Smiles' campaign," a spokesman said. "Although it was intended to resonate with a current pop culture moment, we recognize that this does not excuse the hurt it may have caused. We will do better. We are working to remove the advertisement immediately."
The other ad, for the company's new line of family-size pasta sauces, features situations that the company says are based on true stories from fans about the "unconventional" situations that have been inspired by their love of the sauces, Little Black Book explains. The UK ad in question, for example, shows a new bride enjoying pasta at her wedding reception, even though it drips onto her white gown. The problem? The bride is Black, and most people seem to think the ad shows her surrounded by her (white) groom, his parents, and the bride's mom—but not the bride's dad, the Guardian reports.
That absence has led many to criticize Heinz for "erasing Black fathers," though others pointed out that, based on traditional wedding seating arrangements, it might actually be the groom's father who is missing. Regardless of what was intended, Heinz has issued an apology, telling the Independent:
- "We understand how this ad could have unintentionally perpetuated negative stereotypes. We extend our deepest apologies and will continue to listen, learn and improve to avoid this happening again in the future."
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