The Honey Pot Accused of Racism After Innocent Target Commercial Airs
A black owned feminine hygiene business, The Honey Pot, was accused of racism after an innocent Target commercial featuring the brand first aired in February. The commercial was released for Black History Month, and was highlighted to promote and encourage black female entrepreneurs. In the commercial, founder of the company Beatrice Dixon mentions wanting The Honey Pot to do well as an example for the next young black girl who has a great business idea, just like she did. Apparently some viewers missed the point, and interpreted the ad as “racist.” They began leaving her 1-star reviews online, claiming that Dixon was saying her products were meant only for black girls. Twitter caught wind of the dispute, and the controversy quickly went viral all over the internet. Many loyal customers came to Dixon’s and her company’s defense, countering the negative reviews. Users who saw the controversy and were supporting Dixon also said they now planned on buying her products, and they did exactly that.
According to Buzzfeed, “after a barrage of negative and racist reviews were posted on Trustpilot, Dixon said her company’s sales were up 40% to 50% higher than what they would be on a typical day.” Thankfully, the backlash from the commercial going viral ended up being a great promotional tool for the company, and the true message of the commercial was conveyed to many who are inspired by Dixon’s story. Dixon told CNN “she [also] hopes the attention will highlight the fact that only a tiny percentage of venture capital funding goes to businesses run by black women.” Help support the business by leaving a positive review, and shop The Honey Pot’s products now!
Words by Libby Ayers