As BMW continues to face backlash over its latest controversial advertisement, local celebrities are speaking out against the brand on their social media platforms.
Taking to Twitter on Monday, radio and TV personality Anele Mdoda weighed in on the advertisement that many social media users have deemed a mockery of African spirituality.
“Dear BMW. Whilst I have mad love for you, your ad agency does not get it. AT ALL,” wrote Mdoda.
Dear BMW. Whilst I have mad love for you, your at agency does not get it. AT ALL pic.twitter.com/OEubiamwXJ
— Anele Mdoda (@Anele) January 9, 2023
BMW’s latest ad features a black woman standing next to one of the brand’s latest BMW 5 Series models. Displayed behind her is the phrase, “We Are Our Are Ancestors’ Wildest Dreams. The word “ancestors” is crossed out.
The controversial marketing campaign prompted a debate on social media, with many calling the advert offensive and racist.
Replying to Mdoda’s tweet, @AneleSiswana1 wrote: “They really don’t get it! Awekho amadlozi, amathongo ayenxiba I swag. There’s nothing that speaks to ancestors, there’s no artwork that embodies African culture and its expressions.
“Ancestral expressions are embedded through clothes, songs and artwork. CAMAGU!”
They really don’t get it!
— Anele Siswana (@AneleSiswana1) January 9, 2023
Awekho amadlozi, amathongo ayenxiba I swag. There’s nothing that speaks to ancestors, there’s no art work that embodies African culture and its expressions. Ancestral expressions are embedded through clothes, songs and art work. CAMAGU!
“The concept of ancestry is not exclusive to Africans, BMW has a lineage and a series of cars which were made...my view,” @tlhogi_mash_jnr commented.
The concept of ancestry is not exclusive to Africans, BMW has a lineage and a series of cars which were made...my view
“Haibo did they just take out ancestors like that on the AD!!! Why did they even put ancestors in the first place if they gonna scratch…. The disrespect!!!,” wrote @cikymtwesi.
Haibo did they just take out ancestors like that on the AD!!! Why did they even put ancestors in the first place if they gonna scratch…. The disrespect!!!
— Scish Mtwesi (@cikymtwesi) January 9, 2023
“Nothing is wrong with the ad, people are been highly mislead here, BMW vehicles is referring to their production of their past vehicles, they are basically referring to the old models as ancestors, not Africans but BMW vehicles production from the past production of their models,” said @__Nasha_
Nothin is wrong with the ad, people are been highly mislead here, BMW vehicles is referring to their production of their past vehicles, they are basically referring to the old models as ancestors, not Africans but BMW vehicles production from the past production of their models
— Tshegofatso OTHER (@__Nasha_) January 9, 2023
“It’s offensive. They could’ve just kept the word ‘ancestors’ out of it completely,” added @Blissed_up.
It’s offensive. They could’ve just kept the word “ancestors” out of it completely.
Media personality and poet Ntsiki Mazwai came out with guns blazing after she saw the ad. She shared her perspective in a video clip on her Instagram and Twitter on Sunday.
“I'm so disgusted.......what in the racism is this now??? So thina (we) our spiritual beliefs are not respected and must be used by white capital for financial gain??? Fu***@bmwsouthafrica,” she captioned the post.
“What level of racism is this now, where our things get used to sell white things? Which marketing agency authorised that? And why the fu** is BMW being racist?,” said Mazwai.
“They wouldn't do this to any other religious practices, so why do they feel that they have a right to use African spirituality in their marketing campaigns? I am appalled. BMW is disgusting."
Following mixed reactions on social media, Mazwai shared another video on her social media platforms, hitting back at those who said the advert was not offensive.
“If the BMW advert was not offensive, nobody would have been offended,” said Mazwai.
“I think what I'm seeing play out is how broken Black people are, how colonisation and slavery have broken Black people down for them to think that they are not worthy of being respected…that advert was not targeted at white people or Indian people.
“Those people have never talked about their ancestors. They speak about their own gods and deities, so that advert was definitely targeted at Black people. That's where the racism begins…” said Mazwai.
Watch the full video below.