Amanda Cooke is a natural hair blogger, and one of the women behind the Cape Town Naturally Support group and Facebook page. She said the ad on the Clicks website referring to afro hair as dry and not normal was disheartening.
A hair product advert by retailer Clicks.
CAPE TOWN – Campaigners for natural hair have mixed views about Clicks stores following an online TRESemmé hair product ad that presented black women’s hair as undesirable.
Clicks has apologised and manufacturer Unilever is removing all TRESemmé products from all stores for ten days.
The racist ad caused outrage and led to disruptive Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) protests across the country.
Amanda Cooke is a natural hair blogger, and one of the women behind the Cape Town Naturally Support group and Facebook page.
She said the ad referring to afro hair as dry and not normal was disheartening.
Cooke said women of colour had worked hard to accept their natural hair, and the ad seemed like a modern-day pencil test.
“When I saw it the first, I actually cried. I was in tears, because here is a retailer who has done amazing work within the natural hair community, and then to see something that is shocking.”
EWN also asked others who embrace natural hair whether they would return to Clicks.
One woman said: “I will definitely go back to Clicks because it’s not Clicks that has an issue. I will still support Clicks whether it’s by hair products or [anything else].”
Another woman said: “I have been a loyal customer of theirs, but seeing that ad will definitely make me think of going to other places because somebody had to sign off on that ad.”
Cooke said she was unsure whether the store would be supported any time soon.
“Clicks was always a happy space for us; whether I will go back again – I don’t know. Right now I am not in that space, and I think a lot of people aren’t, but I think it will eventually get there.”