Glenlivet withdraws advert invoking 1956 Women’s March after backlash

Glenlivet has withdrawn a Women’s Month advertisement featuring actress Dineo Langa after facing widespread backlash over the use of the legacy of the 1956 Women’s March and images of liberation struggle icons to market whisky. The now-deleted campaign featured Langa moving through rooms displaying portraits of figures such as Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, Lilian Ngoyi, and Sophie Williams-De Bruyn, while holding a glass of Glenlivet and invoking the historic march and the slogan “Wathint’ abafazi, wathint’ imbokodo” (You strike a woman, you strike a rock).

The advertisement sparked criticism on social media, with users questioning the decision to associate the women’s resistance against apartheid with alcohol. The brand issued an apology, acknowledging the offence caused and stating that they were investigating the conceptualisation and approval of the post. Langa also apologized for the harm caused, expressing a commitment to be more mindful in the future.

The controversy drew attention from political and government figures, with the Minister in the Presidency for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities Sindisiwe Chikunga criticizing the campaign for trivialising the historic and ongoing struggle of South African women. The ANC also condemned the campaign, emphasizing that the women of 1956 were not cultural props or marketing symbols and that their legacies and sacrifices must not be reduced to a visual association or branding opportunity.

Brief written by urgent.news from IOL's own syndicated text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.