Subscribe to Print Edition | Wed., July 16, 2008 Tamuz 13, 5768 | | Israel Time: 03:24 (EST+7)
Haaretz israel news English
web haaretz.com
  Back to Homepage
Rosner's Domain
Diplomacy
Defense Jewish World Opinion National
Print Edition
Car Rental
Books Peres Conference Business Real Estate Easy Start Travel Week's End Anglo File
Topless DJ Niki Belucci as depicted in an advertisement for an event promoting Axe deodorant. (Haaretz)
Last update - 12:56 10/07/2008
Cosmetics firm sorry for topless DJ ad, but Haredim still irate
By Adi Dovrat and Nati Toker, TheMarker
Tags: topless DJ, Israel 

A recent marketing campaign for Unilever's Axe deodorant for men raised the hackles of the ultra-Orthodox community when the corporation sponsored a poolside party for teens, DJed by a topless Hungarian disc jockey flown in for the event, and attended by other partially-clad young women.

Unsurprisingly, despite Unilever's written apology to the Haredi community, its leaders remain unsatisfied. Rabbi Gabriel Papenheim, who chairs the Kashrut Committee for Badatz, told TheMarker that the matter was initially to have ended with their apology, but Badatz is now demanding that an apology also be published in the secular press. "The
insult was to the secular community no less than to us," he said. Papenheim added that if Unilever refused, the Badatz leaders would convene to decide on sanctions against the company.
Advertisement
Unilever, whose revenues largely come from the Haredi and religious sectors, is careful to keep its brands separate, and to avoid provocative advertising. In its campaign for Dove products, for instance, the company scrupulously avoided the use of women in T-shirts to avoid offending the religious-Haredi sector. But Axe is known for its more provocative public relations style, partially adapted to the brand's campaigns overseas.

Kol Hai radio announcer Mordechai Lavi interviewed several outspoken leaders of the community in a program broadcast last Monday, who called on the Haredi sector to avoid buying Unilever products. "They need to be taught that anyone using callous, cheap and substandard advertising techniques for their products will be rejected by the community. Their apology and clarification should be done through secular media, to make sure that no others will follow suit," said one interviewee. "The Haredi community is not silent and will not be silent," another raged.

But Unilever's response is not likely to soothe ruffled feathers. "Axe is an international brand that operates according to the international company's strategic advertising policy. The brand sponsored a private event. Unilever respects all of its customers, including the Haredi sector, who have been its loyal customers for decades. We apologize to anyone who was hurt by the event, and will try to be more careful in the
future," the company said.

Related articles:
  • Sexless city: 'Sex and the City' adverts banned in Jerusalem

    More Jewish World news and features
    • Bookmark to del.icio.us  
     
    Hezbollah's pleasure
    For Israelis, the release of Kuntar is a form of self-inflicted torture.
    Exchange timeline
    How the prisoner exchange with Hezbollah will be carried out.
      1.   Uhmmm, No Apologies Necessary 02:54  |  Michael 09/07/08
      2.   Sounds like a Great Party 03:24  |  Steve 09/07/08
      3.   Looking for pics 03:44  |  Richard Silverstein 09/07/08
      4.   Hypocrisy 04:35  |  Imran 09/07/08
      5.   Free society 04:47  |  Daniel 09/07/08
      6.   Unilever 04:48  |  Imran 09/07/08
      7.   Anything that feels good 04:55  |  Baz Mann 09/07/08
      8.   haha 04:59  |  antoine 09/07/08
      9.   Why do ALL religions have a hangup on nudity 05:34  |  L A 09/07/08
      10.   if the Muslims 06:02  |  Muslim 09/07/08
      11.   Haredim 06:52  |  Charles 09/07/08
      12.   Free to sell...free to buy 07:31  |  Dave 09/07/08
      13.   at least they didn`t use the weasel phrase "may have offended" 07:48  |  newageblues 09/07/08
      14.   So abuse of women is OK? Just checking. 08:22  |  Jewish State 09/07/08
      15.   Isn`t capitalism grand? We`ll Boycott whoever we want. 08:23  |  Jewish State 09/07/08
      16.   Some facts 08:37  |  A thinking Jew 09/07/08
      17.   the issue is privacy #12 08:42  |  A thinking Jew 09/07/08
      18.   Charles in post 11 08:45  |  Sorry but... 09/07/08
      19.   I`m not religious but will boycott Unilever for exploiting women 08:54  |  Sara 09/07/08
      20.   Im secular, I have not problem with that 09:13  |  Ivan 09/07/08
      21.   Next time bring a Dj in a burka 09:22  |  Goy 09/07/08
      22.   ridiculous 09:26  |  daniele 09/07/08
      23.   Only in Israel 09:38  |  Zev Davis 09/07/08
      24.   Something smells here and its not the underarms... 09:42  |  sptz 09/07/08
      25.   #9 it`s the sex 09:53  |  Religion 09/07/08
      26.   #14 talking of abuse of women 09:54  |  SJ 09/07/08
      27.   #16 Not necessarily 09:57  |  Liberal 09/07/08
      28.   American t.v. lehavdil! 10:10  |  Joe 09/07/08
      29.   Apologies Do Not Repair 10:17  |  Carole 09/07/08
      30.   Deordorant 11:13  |  RS 09/07/08
      31.   Insult me some more. 11:22  |  Michael 09/07/08
      32.   #25 and outdated propaganda 11:49  |  Sorry but... 09/07/08
      33.   Contrast with the Dead Sea hotel 12:01  |  Binyamin Dissen 09/07/08
      34.   #19 and i thought women were the major users of deodorants 12:14  |  victor hardman 09/07/08
      35.   Haredim Don`t Use Deodorant Anyway 12:16  |  Holy Cow 09/07/08
      36.   Why is this even a debate - seculars a free to follow suit! 13:07  |  Ofer Maimon 09/07/08
      37.   MUSLIM # 10 13:15  |  ANDY 09/07/08
      38.   Holy Cow, As per my post 13:20  |  Zev Davis 09/07/08
      39.   Export holy cow to chicargo 13:31  |  Duh 09/07/08
      40.   #18 13:36  |  Charles 09/07/08
      41.   Charles, down what drain? 14:04  |  Zev Davis 09/07/08
      42.   Andy #37, his argument is still valid 14:06  |  A thinking Jew 09/07/08
      43.   Deodorant ad? Wouldn`t have guessed that by the picture 14:07  |  Aphemia 09/07/08
      44.   Zev Davis from Holy Cow 14:14  |  Holy Cow 09/07/08
      45.   the ad was found offensive in India too. 14:16  |  A young Jew 09/07/08
      46.   Topless DJ 14:19  |  JordanisPalestine 09/07/08
      47.   Do a google search and you can see what she`s 14:23  |  Bit of a pervert 09/07/08
      48.   Is Haredim angry about her cross, or about her 2 assets? 14:36  |  Aounist 09/07/08
      49.   Ladies, where are you??? 14:36  |  GB 09/07/08
      50.   Axe? 14:54  |  eddie 09/07/08
      51.   #47 - tell us the web site or divulge the info 14:55  |  agv 09/07/08
      52.   # 49 What do you mean 15:01  |  L A 09/07/08
      53.   Warning: VIDEO contains nudity 15:05  |  religionstateisrael 09/07/08
      54.   #45 the home of the kama sutra ! offensive? 15:14  |  victor hardman 09/07/08
      55.   Are hareidim protecting or demeaning women? 15:33  |  nkd 09/07/08
      56.   #4 Imran - Are you living in a bubble? 15:35  |  * BEN JABO 09/07/08
      57.   Why fly someone from Hungary 15:48  |  agv 09/07/08
      58.   DJed by a topless Hungarian disc jockey 15:54  |  Dror 09/07/08
      59.   Not For Teenagers But You Gotta Admit... 16:13  |  Yosemite 09/07/08
      60.   Doing Israeli consumers a HUGE favor 16:17  |  DG 09/07/08
      61.   Here is the link for all the sex crazed pervs, Niki Belucci 16:19  |  Dror 09/07/08
      62.   Im secular and I want an apology too 16:20  |  Nimrod Tal 09/07/08
      63.   Not a prude... 16:58  |  Esther 09/07/08
      64.   What`s the fuss? - You see more at the beach 17:35  |  * BEN JABO 09/07/08
      65.   Topless: meaning without a brain 17:49  |  eddie - Haifa 09/07/08
      66.   #64 - this is a bit more than the beach 17:51  |  agv 09/07/08
      67.   Apologies 17:56  |  Dovo 09/07/08
      68.   Nudity is pure and beautiful 17:59  |  Benjamina 09/07/08
      69.   #49 - typical American attitude 18:06  |  Benjamina 09/07/08
      70.   I am offended by the implants 18:40  |  IsraFan 09/07/08
      71.   Food for thought.