Heineken has removed a TV and digital ad that proclaimed “Sometimes lighter is better” after facing accusations the ad was racist.
The 30-second spot showed a bartender removing the top off a bottle of Heineken and sliding it across a bar, passing several black men and women. The bottle ultimately reached the hands of a lighter-skinned woman, and the tagline “Sometimes, lighter is better” appears on screen.
Heineken’s commercial was criticized on social media, including by Chance the Rapper who said the ad was “terribly racist.”
“I think some companies are purposely putting out noticably [sic] racist ads so they can get more views. And that shit racist/bogus so I guess I shouldn’t help by posting about it. But I gotta just say tho. The ‘sometimes lighter is better’ Hienekin [sic] commercial is terribly racist omg,” the hip-hop star tweeted Sunday.
I think some companies are purposely putting out noticably racist ads so they can get more views. And that shit racist/bogus so I guess I shouldn’t help by posting about it. But ? I gotta just say tho. The “sometimes lighter is better” Hienekin commercial is terribly racist omg
— Chance The Rapper (@chancetherapper) March 26, 2018
The beer company decided to pull the ad from TV and the Internet late Monday in the wake of the backlash.
“While we feel the ad is referencing our Heineken Light beer, and that light beer is better than other high-calorie options—we missed the mark, are taking the feedback to heart and will use this to influence future campaigns,” Heineken USA spokesman Bjorn Trowery said, according to CNN Money.
