Heineken officials have removed an ad with the tagline "Sometimes lighter is better" after the 30-second spot was criticized as being racist, CNN reported.
The ad features a fair-skinned bartender sliding a bottle of Heineken Light to a woman. The bottle slides past three black people before arriving in front of the lighter-skinned woman as the tagline appears at the end of the commercial.
Critics on social media did not treat the ad lightly. Hip-hop singer Chance the Rapper called it "terribly racist" on Twitter on Sunday evening.
“I think some companies are purposely putting out noticeably racist ads so they can get more views,” he tweeted.
On Twitter, Helen Ehrenofer called for the firing of the person who allowed the ad to air.
"What idiots do they have approving this ad? Fire that person," she tweeted.
Heineken pulled the ad from television and the internet late Monday, CNN reported.
“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.
This Heineken light beer commercial is definitely racist. What idiots do they have approving this ad? Fire that person. And the ad agency who developed it should be fired. Period. No excuse for this. I watched the ad. It's racist.
— Helen Ehrenhofer (@helenehrenhofer) March 26, 2018
Cox Media Group
