What’s wrong with being hairy?’ Netizens in China criticize Singapore salon for comparing women to orangutans in ad

In response to AsiaOne’s queries, beauty chain Strip clarified that its use of an orangutan image in an ad had been misunderstood by some netizens. A spokesperson explained that the mascot was inspired by Singapore’s tourism icon and has been part of the brand’s identity for 20 years. Strip, which promotes body confidence, stated its commitment to female empowerment and self-love, and emphasized that it does not engage in shame campaigns to sell its services.

The spokesperson added that the company uses humorous marketing to reduce the embarrassment around body grooming and ensure a safe, hygienic experience. They also denied an alleged conversation where a staff member claimed they couldn’t find a human as hairy as an ape, calling the claim fabricated and noting an internal investigation is underway. In light of the backlash, Strip announced it would remove the orangutan imagery from its campaign visuals in China to avoid further misunderstandings.

The controversial advertisement, which promoted hair removal services in Shanghai, was criticized by netizens for allegedly comparing women with body hair to orangutans. One ad depicted bikini-clad women and an orangutan jumping into a river, while another showed a woman and an ape dressed in the same outfit. Social media users slammed the ads as degrading to women, with one user asking, “What’s wrong with being hairy?”

An employee at the Shanghai outlet reportedly said the orangutan was used because it was difficult to find women with ample body hair. The ad sent the message that women who don’t remove their body hair would resemble an orangutan, according to the employee. Following the criticism, Strip adjusted the posters and promised to vet future ad campaigns more carefully.

This isn’t the first time a Singaporean brand has faced backlash for insensitive ads. In 2021, ShopBack received criticism for a video featuring local comedian Kumar and a mock “Bollywood” dance sequence, which some netizens found offensive. ShopBack responded by reaching out to the affected parties and clarifying its commitment to diversity in its content.