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Updated - Sorbet has named this campaign, “It’s not OK Nancy”. Nancy is described as “unwashed, unwaxed & unloved”.
That’s right, no one will ever love Nancy, because she has hair in places society has decided women shouldn’t. She’s unwaxed.
And remember, not putting yourself through the regular physical agony of having the hairs growing on your body torn out by the roots probably means that you’re dirty and no one will love you.
From the Sorbet press release:
"The unassuming and ungroomed universe of Nancy is an endearing one […] a well-meaning character that has a crush on Steve but sadly lacks in self-esteem. She needs a confidence boost, and it's our job to help her."
Sorbet is going to help Nancy boost her self-confidence by telling her she’s not OK, and that she literally repulses men? OK.
"With the action packed calendars of most women trying to be mothers, wives, career women and philanthropists, maintaining a grooming routine becomes just another to-do on the list and is often neglected."
Yes, we know you’re trying to juggle motherhood, a marriage, a career, and philanthropy work, but the fact that you haven’t waxed recently is just not OK Nancy.
"At Sorbet we believe in regular manicures and pedicures, waxes, facials and massages.”
Sorbet also seems to believe in body-shaming women who don’t follow this strict beauty regime.
Ladies, I dunno, if a guy isn’t interested in you because you don’t have a perfect French manicure, there’s a chance he’s not the kind of human you really want to be with anyway.
“Most will never admit it, but every woman has a little bit of Nancy in her; we believe it's our job at Sorbet to help women keep the 'Nancy' at bay.”
More on that helping Nancy gain some self-confidence by, er, saying she shouldn’t exist. Good job!
"Looking good and feeling good go hand in hand and we feel that it’s time our society fosters the idea of 'feeling good'; not just as an emotion but as an innate human right."
I have no words.
While plenty of parodies have pointed out the fact that a lot of beauty ad campaigns are thinly veiled attacks on a woman’s self-confidence, telling women they have no value and that no one will ever love them unless they pay money to some company that promises to “fix” them, Sorbet seems to have, without irony, just gone with openly making this strategy their ad campaign.
The thing about this ad campaign is it’s not just bullying, it’s benevolent bullying. First, they let you know that something is terribly and fundamentally wrong with you because you don’t have regular pedicures, and then they tell you not to worry because they’re here to help.
You know what, Sorbet? I’m actually OK without you. And Nancy? That hair on your legs that’s a result of not having time between your career and philanthropy work to organize a wax? That’s OK too.
Sorbet has since issued an apology, see the letter below:
To the editor of Women 24
I have read the article by Laura Shortridge and it is clear from the tone and the content of her article that Laura has been deeply offended by the Nancy campaign.
On behalf of the Sorbet Group, I offer an unconditional apology to Laura and anyone else who has been offended by this campaign.
The campaign was simply intended to be a light hearted attempt at matching Nancy with FNB’s Steve character. We would never deliberately alienate the women who represent 90% of our target market and whose support we value. More specifically, we would never “attack a woman’s self-confidence” or “bully” them in any way.
We fully acknowledge that the campaign was poorly worded and badly executed and understand why it caused offence. The billboard in question has been removed and the campaign has been withdrawn.
Once again I make a full apology to those that have been offended.
Yours sincerely
Ian Fuhr
CEO of the Sorbet Group.
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