• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

The heiress of $10 billion Perdue Farms and the $12 billion Sheraton Hotels empire wore hand-me-downs, still rides the subway, and flies economy

2

31-year-old millionaire has zero sympathy for unemployed Gen Z's ‘excuses’—he says 'it is scarily easy' to build a business and get rich right now

3

Current price of oil as of September 1, 2026

1

The heiress of $10 billion Perdue Farms and the $12 billion Sheraton Hotels empire wore hand-me-downs, still rides the subway, and flies economy

2

31-year-old millionaire has zero sympathy for unemployed Gen Z's ‘excuses’—he says 'it is scarily easy' to build a business and get rich right now

3

Current price of oil as of September 1, 2026
RetailAdvertising

Heineken Is Pulling an Ad After Chance the Rapper Called It Racist

By
Hallie Detrick
Hallie Detrick
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Hallie Detrick
Hallie Detrick
Down Arrow Button Icon
March 27, 2018, 7:19 AM ET
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Heineken has joined the long line of companies whose tone-deaf advertisements have landed them in hot water.

On Monday, the company pulled an advertisement that used the tagline “sometimes lighter is better” to advertise Heineken Light. The ad shows a bartender sliding a beer past three people—all of whom are black—to a lighter-skinned woman.

Chance the Rapper called out Heineken for the advertisement on Twitter, speculating that the brewer may have made the ad intentionally racist in order to attract more publicity.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g_u_-OD1_z0]

The controversy is a far fall for Heineken, which only last year was praised for an ad that showed people with vastly different opinions and backgrounds finding common ground through a series of tasks. The ad was particularly notable as it contrasted the infamous Pepsi ad featuring Kendall Jenner, which came out around the same time. It showed Jenner seemingly repairing race relations in the U.S. by handing a Pepsi to a police officer. Critics accused the company of using the Black Lives Matter movement to sell sodas.

I think some companies are purposely putting out noticably racist ads so they can get more views. And that shit racist/bogus so I guess I shouldn’t help by posting about it. But 😂 I gotta just say tho. The “sometimes lighter is better” Hienekin commercial is terribly racist omg

— Chance The Rapper (@chancetherapper) March 26, 2018

Dove and H&M have also recently been accused of racism in their marketing. In October 2017, Dove removed an advertisement that showed a black woman removing her shirt to reveal a white woman underneath. Critics said the ad implied that black people are dirty. In January, H&M pulled a children’s sweatshirt from its stores that read “Coolest Monkey in the Jungle” after it was featured on a young black model.

About the Author
By Hallie Detrick
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Latest in Retail


Most Popular

Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • TikTok icon
  • YouTube icon

    Latest in Retail


    Most Popular

    © 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
    FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.