New Jerseyans wrote on Facebook that they think Dove’s new deodorant ad stinks. Dove has announced it will pull a billboard that ...
New Jerseyans wrote on Facebook that they think Dove’s new deodorant ad stinks.
Dove has announced it will pull a billboard that encourages residents of the Garden State to embrace living in the “armpit of America” after New Jerseyans raised a stink.
“We did not wish to cause any misunderstanding and apologize for any offense,” the brand wrote on its Facebook page. “Our intent with the ‘Dear New Jersey’ billboard, which was one of many ads for our campaign, was to call attention to the fact that armpits can and should be considered beautiful and ask women everywhere to accept this as something that is okay.”
The proposed billboard said, “Dear New Jersey, When people call you ‘The Armpit of America,’ take it as a compliment. Sincerely, Dove.”
But some New Jersey residents didn’t see anything complimentary about the comparison, or the use of a well-known N.J. dig.
“It’s insulting. That we stink? We don’t stink. We’re a great state. In fact, everyone wants to live in this state,” longtime resident Joan Gazello told CBS 2.
Other disgruntled New Jerseyans took to Facebook.
“I was born and raised in NJ and will no longer be using your products. Take it as a compliment,” one woman wrote on Dove’s page.
“Thanks for calling out my state as an armpit. I hope you have a sense of humor and find it funny that I'm going to go out of my way to never spend my New Jersey earned dollars on another Dove product ever again,” another posted.
The billboards were slated to pop up in New Jersey in July. Dove has promised to donate the space to a state charity instead.
Dove’s parent company, Unilever, has its U.S. headquarters is in Englewood Cliffs, N.J.
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