Source: The Drum
Beer brand Heineken has issued an apology and pulled its ‘Lighter is Better’ TV ad in the US after the brand faced a lot of criticism on social network, where the spot was brandished as being “terribly racist.”
Central figure in the negative reactions was the famous singer Chance the Rapper who actually called out the spot for being terribly racist, and accused Heineken of intentionally opting for controversy to generate buzz.
The 30-second spot promoting the product showed a bartender sliding a bottle of beer along the bar to reach a woman in the distance. As the glass slides down the bar it passes a number of black customers before arriving at a white patron, ending with the strapline: “Sometimes, Lighter is Better”.
Following the media attention, the brand has since apologised.
In a statement it said: “For decades, Heineken has developed diverse marketing that shows there’s more that unites us than divides us. While we feel the ad is referencing our Heineken Light beer, we missed the mark, are taking the feedback to heart and will use this to influence future campaigns.”
