Did Heinz really think it could get away with racist stereotypes in a UK advert during Black History Month?
Heinz has recently come under fire after one of its advertisements, part of a campaign promoting its family-sized pasta sauces, sparked outrage for perpetuating negative stereotypes about Black families. The billboard, spotted in London’s Vauxhall and Manor House underground stations, depicted a wedding scene featuring a Black bride and a white groom. However, it was the absence of a Black father in the image that provoked significant backlash online, with critics accusing the brand of erasing Black fathers and reinforcing harmful stereotypes.
The controversy was first brought to wider attention by author and Guardian contributor Nels Abbey, who wrote an opinion piece on the topic. In a post shared on X (formerly Twitter), Abbey highlighted the problematic messaging of the ad, commenting: “‘For my brothers with daughters.’ Because believe it or not, Black girls have Dads too.” His post quickly went viral, as many users echoed his concerns, reigniting a longstanding discussion about how Black families are portrayed in mainstream media.
"For my brothers with daughters"
— Nels Abbey (@nelsabbey) October 4, 2024
Because, believe it or not, Black girls have Dads too. pic.twitter.com/LngrCCZ4rW
The harmful stereotype of absent Black fathers
The advert shows a joyful Black bride in her wedding dress, casually holding a forkful of pasta while seated next to a Caucasian groom. To their left is an older Black woman, presumably the bride’s mother, and on the right, an older white couple, assumed to be the groom’s parents. The glaring omission of the bride’s father is what sparked outrage among many viewers.
Abbey and others were quick to point out the harmful nature of this stereotype—the ‘absent Black father’ trope, which has long been used in media and advertising. While the image may have appeared innocuous at first glance, it reinforced a deeply ingrained narrative that has far-reaching consequences for how Black families are perceived, especially during Black History Month in the UK.
Netizens online started to re-share the tweet and commented on the fact that the ad serves as a reminder of how often Black women are portrayed as fatherless, a narrative that can have damaging psychological and cultural effects. One person commented: “Now don’t get me wrong, this Heinz Ad is BS, but it’s not because of the absence of a Black dad in my opinion. I’ve found the stigma attached to Black single mother’s is significantly reinforced by views within the Black community itself. All this Ad does is echo this.”
Another user tweeted: “Excuse me, @HeinzUK you seem to have accidentally cut the bride’s father out of this ad. It was a bit of a silly mistake that, especially during #BlackHistoryMonthUK. It would be such a shame if people chose to #BoycottHeinz so please fix it. Thank you.”
While some offered alternative interpretations of the ad, the criticism largely persisted. One viewer even remarked, “You can’t win with these things. You’ve got a Black woman dead centre, more women than men, an interracial marriage, maybe a single mum, maybe an Asian dad. You could forgive the graphic designer behind this thinking they’ve covered every scenario possible that they’d get shit for, but no, we’ve found one.” Despite these attempts to rationalise the ad, the backlash continued, with many arguing that the damage had already been done by perpetuating a harmful racial stereotype.
It’s not just a question of a missing character in an ad—it’s about the way these depictions shape societal perceptions. When brands fail to recognise the importance of a balanced, accurate representation, they risk reinforcing damaging stereotypes that can have real-world consequences.
The ad, part of a campaign celebrating rule-breakers who love Heinz, was meant to be a quirky nod to people’s devotion to the brand. Yet, the decision to omit a key figure in a wedding scene—a father—reveals a deeper oversight.
Meanwhile, The Independent reported that Heinz has apologised and promised to do better, stating: “We understand how this ad could have unintentionally perpetuated negative stereotypes. We extend our deepest apologies and… will improve to avoid this happening again in the future.”
Sense has prevailed. @HeinzUK has apologised:
— Nels Abbey (@nelsabbey) October 6, 2024
“We understand how this ad could have unintentionally perpetuated negative stereotypes. We extend our deepest apologies and... will improve to avoid this happening again in the future.”
Never forget: Black girls have Dads too 🖤 https://t.co/K6IMnHrgHL pic.twitter.com/YRHE1DTlpo
As of now, the portrayal of Black kids as fatherless continues to be a harmful stereotype, and as this controversy has shown, it’s one that still requires active dismantling.
So yes, Heinz missed the bigger picture. In trying to create a feel-good, relatable moment, the brand tripped over an all-too-familiar and harmful stereotype. A pasta sauce stain might wash out easily, but the stain left by careless representation is much harder to clean up.
Oh and also, as an Italian, the thought of Heinz making pasta sauce is just… abominable.
