Glenlivet ad referencing the 1956 Women’s March pulled after criticism
A Glenlivet whisky advertisement that used imagery of the 1956 Women’s March in South Africa and the voice of Winnie Madikizela-Mandela has been withdrawn following criticism. As Daily Maverick reports, an apology was also issued.
Criticism of historical imagery
In the video, actress Dineo Moeketsi Langa raised a glass against a backdrop of large images of historical figures. The columnist believes that such use of the history of the anti-apartheid struggle to advertise expensive alcohol diminishes the significance and pain of the past.
She recalled the experiences of Black communities associated with alcohol establishments, women who produced and sold alcohol to support their families while risking arrest, as well as the long-term consequences of the dop system on wine farms. In the author’s view, the reaction to the campaign showed that some South Africans do not accept history as a tool for selling goods.
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The author also linked the situation to the commercialization of Women’s Day and Women’s Month, when these dates are associated with discounts, spa treatments, self-care and promotional offers.
The voice of Winnie Madikizela-Mandela
At the end of the video, the voice of Winnie Madikizela-Mandela is heard saying, “Singayisusa nanini.” According to Daily Maverick’s description, Langa looks into the camera with whisky in her hand and moves her lips to the superimposed audio recording.
The author emphasizes that these words were spoken in the context of protest and the continuation of the struggle against injustice, making their use in advertising particularly problematic in her view. Ntsebakazi Manzi, known as Ncesh Nonxishi, used this phrase in a struggle song. The composition became known through the feminist collective We Are Nomzamo and was sampled in Msaki’s song “At Stake.”
