International round-up: Nivea accused of racism and Burger King’s anti-bullying campaign

Plus Skyy Vodka and Absolut team up to promote marriage equality in Australia and Burger King’s anti-bullying campaign.

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Nivea criticised over skin-lightening ads

Nivea is facing a barrage of criticism over “racist” ads for a body lotion that lightens the skin of black women. The ads, which have appeared on billboards and in TV spots across West Africa, promise women “visibly fairer skin”.

According to a report by the University of Cap Town, about 75% of Nigeria women use skin-lightening products and they are also popular in countries including Ghana, Senegal and Kenya. But consumers in Europe and America have criticised the ads, accusing them of being racist.

READ MORE: Nivea accused of racism over skin-lightening ads

Nielsen to share Netflix ratings for the first time

Nielsen is set to start measuring and publicly sharing the audience for Netflix shows in the US, marking the first time that TV networks and studios will be able to judge how popular shows such as Stranger Things, Orange is the New Black and House of Cards are.

The measurement company’s new offering, SVOD Content Ratings, will provide the same ratings and demographic data as it currently offers for TV programmes. However, it will initially only offer ratings for Netflix and be restricted to shows viewed on connected devices and smart TVs, which account for around 75% of SVoD viewing.

The service has been in testing with select clients since August. It relies on data from Nielsen’s national panel, which includes 44,000 households and more than 100,000 people. Companies including A&E, Disney-ABC, NBCUniversal and Lionsgate are already signed up.

READ MORE: At Long Last, Nielsen Will Publicly Share Ratings for Netflix Shows

Burger King shines the spotlight on bullying

Burger King has launched an ad to coincide with National Bullying Prevention Month in the US that cleverly makes a point about the issue while at the same time serving as a great ad for the burger chain.

The ad juxtaposes the (clearly ridiculous) idea of a bullied burger with that of a bullied teen. But it makes the serious point that 95% of customers complained about their bullied (actually squashed) burger, compared to the just 15% that spoke out about the bullying.

Brands team up to get behind same-sex marriage

Australia is currently in the midst of a public vote on whether the country’s 1961 Marriage Act should be amended to include same-sex couples. And brands haven’t been shy about letting consumers know where they stand.

This week, rivals Skyy Vodka and Absolut have teamed for an ad, posted on both their social media accounts, that shows the two brands side-by-side on the shelf with a rainbow-coloured heart in between. The ad reads: “The Skyy’s the limit when we have Absolut equality”.

While the vote is not legally binding, Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has said he will introduce legislation to legalise same-sex marriage if the majority votes in favour of the move.

READ MORE: Vodka Competitors Skyy and Absolut Join Forces to Support Marriage Equality

McDonald’s offices in South Korea raided

McDonald’s South Korean head office has been raided after a series of complaints about people suffering from so-called ‘hamburger disease’, according to Reuters. The latest saw parents complain that their daughter had hemolytic uremic syndrome, a rare but sever side effect of certain strains of the E.coli bacteria that is often found in under-cooked red meat, hence the nickname. In total, five sets of parents have complained.

The issue is the latest to hit McDonald’s in South Korea and follows its attempts to offload the business. However, talks with domestic firm KG Chemical Corporation collapse last year over what was described as a “large difference of opinion”.

READ MORE: McDonald’s South Korea office raided in burger probe: reports

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