Heinz has apologised for ‘unintentionally perpetuating negative stereotypes’ after an advert currently on display in London Tube stations sparked fury online.
The poster, spotted at Vauxhall and Manor House stations, depicts an interracial couple and their families sitting on the top table at a wedding.
As part of a new campaign called ‘Family Portraits’, which promotes the brand’s range of share-sized pasta sauces, it features a Black bride eating a plate of spaghetti beside her white husband.
To one side of the newlyweds sits an older Black woman who appears to be the bride’s mother, while a white couple – presumably the groom’s parents – are sat on the other.
On X, users shared their opinions over the bride’s father being left out of the scene despite both of the groom’s parents being included, with @hornchronichles commenting: ‘Total erasure of Black fathers by such a mainstream brand is shocking. How did this get approved?’
Alongside a photograph of the display, author Nels Abbey (@nelsabbey) wrote: ‘For my brothers and daughters. Because, believe it or now, Black girls have Dads too.’
Hundreds of people commented on Nels’s original post, including Charlene (@CK1london) who said: ‘It’s a “subtle” way of perpetuating myths… @HeinzUK you should be embarrassed.’
‘Absolutely outrageous,’ said another, @AlisonKriel, while @tonisha_miller added: ‘I’m so glad you called this. We need to stop shrugging it off and object to this pernicious erasure.’
There were some defending the brand though, chalking the issue up to limited space or the bride’s dad simply being out of shot.
‘I would say the issue is more down to the space on the advertising board that required one character to be omitted for the aesthetic to have a beautiful woman centre to the advert than anything else,’ wrote @woodylenton. ‘I seriously doubt there is anything sinister in it.’
‘You’re all assuming that the father is “missing”, he may have passed away!’ said @apt1a, followed by @rumcomesaveme who said: ‘I just thought the dad was taking the photo. But I’m a photographer, and I’m white, so I wouldn’t understand the pain this could cause first hand. Would love to see this discussed more.’
What makes this advert problematic
Speaking to , model, presenter and actress, Linda E – who regularly stars in advertisements for global brands – explained: ‘The issue with the Heinz advert is that it perpetuates this idea that the Black family isn’t stable.
‘People behind the scenes probably weren’t thinking about the cultural effect or the impact of what it projects to the wider society or just thinking, ‘it’s a cool ad and it’s funny’. But if they had both parents of both the groom and bride, there would have been no issue – or if there were just the mums, it would have been equal.
‘The inequality highlights the old-age idea that the Black family isn’t stable and that’s why it’s so offensive.
‘As a model who’s appeared in a load of commercials and ads, I feel as though representation is essential. It’s so important that no matter who you are in society you can see yourself represented in things like mainstream media, in TV commercials etc. and I feel as though representation has got so much better over the last five or 10 years.
‘I think where some of the issues are still arising is that in front of the camera, representation has definitely improved but behind the camera, some of the people who are in charge of ideas, might not be as representative as we would like it, hence why some of the decisions made for the campaigns don’t understand necessarily the nuances of some of the cultural references or the impact of some of the imagery, scenarios or themes of the ads that are being produced, so I think that’s where the disconnect is happening.
‘In terms of representation in front of the camera, that has really improved, but I think there’s still a bit of a way to go with regard to having people of colour in the decision-making process when it comes to being the client or the advertising agency or the creatives that think of the ideas.’
After Nels’s post received over 400 comments, 740 retweets and 3,600 likes, and numerous others criticising Heinz across social media, the FMCG firm shared an apology via The Independent.
In a statement, the brand said: ‘We always appreciate members of the public’s perspective on our campaigns. 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.’
It’s unclear whether the ads will remain in place at London Underground stations, but Nels responded saying the apology was proof ‘sense has prevailed,’ adding: ‘Never forget: Black girls have Dads too.’
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