Heinz has apologized for an advertisement it had displayed in London subway stations featuring a Black family that was deemed racist.
The U.S. manufacturer recently launched a campaign promoting family-sized pasta sauces. The ad, seen at Vauxhall and Manor House train stations, features a Black bride eating pasta next to a white groom. The image also shows the groom’s white parents and an older Black woman, likely the bride’s mother, but notably omits any sign of the bride’s Black father.
The controversial ad was released during Britain’s Black History Month, and led to Heinz facing extreme backlash on social media.
“‘For my brothers with daughters.’ Because, believe it or not, Black girls have Dads too,” author and Guardian contributor Nels Abbey tweeted
on Friday.It didn’t take long for Abbey’s tweet to ignite debate over whether Heinz intentionally presented a racist trope.
“Total erasure of Black fathers by such a mainstream brand is shocking. How did this get approved?” one person wrote in response.
“It’s subliminal messaging. It’s a ‘subtle’ way of perpetuating myths. The media have been doing this for years,” added someone else. “One of the benefits of SM is that these narratives will be challenged @HeinzUK. You should be embarrassed.”
One X user defended Heinz, noting the five people in each campaign’s billboards.
“Every single ad in this series has five people in the photo. Five nuns. Five hippies. A grandma with four kids. A bride surrounded by family members. But in every case: 5 people, not 6,” they explained.
Following the backlash, Heinz issued an apology for the ad, which was part of its campaign celebrating rule breakers who defy conventional behavior to enjoy its new line of pasta sauces.
In the advertisement, the bride spills pasta sauce on her white wedding dress while the groom and parents look on disappointedly.
“We always appreciate members of the public’s perspective on our campaigns. We understand how this ad could have unintentionally perpetuated negative stereotypes,” Heinz said. “We extend our deepest apologies and will continue to listen, learn and improve to avoid this happening again in the future.”