By Bahk Eun-ji
A recent commercial by Baskin-Robbins, a global ice cream brand, starring famous child model Ella Gross, has been criticized for sexually objectifying the child.
The company removed the images and apologized for causing a stir, but the criticism is not dying down.
Baskin-Robbins Korea released a 30-second video for new ice cream flavors on its social media channels Friday. In the video, the 10-year-old model, wearing a pink sleeveless dress and heavy make-up, tastes the new flavor of ice cream.
Internet users were critical of the commercial, saying the portrayal of the child was improper. "The camera lens focused too much on her lips and her action of putting the ice cream into her mouth. It can be misinterpreted as sexual fantasies about children, referring to pedophilia," an internet user said.
A lot of other users also said they felt uncomfortable with the child model's image. "The outfit of this child model should be worn by grown-up models, not by such a young child. Moreover, this commercial is just emphasizing femininity," another internet user said.
Baskin-Robbins Korea removed the clip and posted a written apology a day after releasing the commercial. In the statement, the company said it had discussed the concept of the commercial with the model's parents fully and the parents were accompanying her when they filmed it.
"The make-up she was wearing was at the general level applied to other child models, and the dress she was wearing was also from a children's clothes brand she is currently working for as a model," the statement read. "But we removed the image after accepting customers' opinions."
However, the statement caused more criticism from internet users who said the posting was not an apology but simply an excuse. The company took the statement down later as the controversy refused to go away.
A recent commercial by Baskin-Robbins, a global ice cream brand, starring famous child model Ella Gross, has been criticized for sexually objectifying the child.
The company removed the images and apologized for causing a stir, but the criticism is not dying down.
Baskin-Robbins Korea released a 30-second video for new ice cream flavors on its social media channels Friday. In the video, the 10-year-old model, wearing a pink sleeveless dress and heavy make-up, tastes the new flavor of ice cream.
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| Images of Baskin Robbins commercial starring famous child model Ella Gross / Captured from Facebook |
A lot of other users also said they felt uncomfortable with the child model's image. "The outfit of this child model should be worn by grown-up models, not by such a young child. Moreover, this commercial is just emphasizing femininity," another internet user said.
Baskin-Robbins Korea removed the clip and posted a written apology a day after releasing the commercial. In the statement, the company said it had discussed the concept of the commercial with the model's parents fully and the parents were accompanying her when they filmed it.
"The make-up she was wearing was at the general level applied to other child models, and the dress she was wearing was also from a children's clothes brand she is currently working for as a model," the statement read. "But we removed the image after accepting customers' opinions."
However, the statement caused more criticism from internet users who said the posting was not an apology but simply an excuse. The company took the statement down later as the controversy refused to go away.
