Speaking in football terms, the German company Nivea scored an own goal! Namely, after less than 12 hours from the announcement, furious social media users forced it to delete photos of Moroccan and Croatian football fans mourning their defeat in the World Cup semifinals.
Of course, the deletion was followed by an apology to the Moroccan and Croatian fans who were offended by the post, stating that they ‘see the great successes of the national football team and celebrate with them.’ They also assure that they will take measures in the future to meet high standards in all areas of their communication.
A barrage of insults
A similar apology was directed to Moroccan users who perceived the post as Nivea’s gloating over their defeat in the match against France.
To remind, Nivea advertised its micellar water with photos featuring Moroccan and Croatian fans painted in the colors of their national flags, stating that the micellar water removes everything except tears (in the Croatian case) and everything except heritage (in the Moroccan case).
With the exception of French and Argentine fans, most users bombarded them with negative comments claiming that this was an extremely poor PR move, mocking teams that achieved exceptional results and left their hearts on the field.
On social media platforms, they also called for a boycott of the unempathetic Nivea, which, they claim, has shown itself to be an ordinary ‘bully’ rather than a brand that cares for its audience.
