Nikon South Africa had a rough week after posting a video of its Z50 creative campaign on social media. South Africans were quick to point out the lack of diversity in their campaign, with almost all those chosen to run being white. The campaign was designed to promote the Z50 camera by inviting influencers to share their exciting adventures and moments captured with the camera. While the idea of your product being promoted by those with large followings isn't a problem in and of itself, chosen influencers have left South Africans angry at the blatant exclusion and lack of representation.
We are pleased to introduce our new influencers Nikon Z50 in South Africa. In the coming months, we'll be sharing their adventures and the moments they capture on their Nikon Z50s. Watch this space… #NikonSA #NikonZ #Zcreators #Z50 #NikonZcreators #Zdifferently pic.twitter.com/WdGabiorYB Jul 24, 2020 The video has 285.5K views and thousands of comments telling Nikon where they went wrong. Users have taken to the company directly, pointing out how offensive it is to have only one black influencer when the country is made up of a majority of black people. Also, the apparent tokenism of having a black influencer, Austin Malema, who doesn't even talk much besides saying his name, has only made things worse. Many pointed to the wide range of South African photographers who could have been included and who have larger followings than are considered good enough to be featured in the ad. While some may chalk this up to a deaf and uncritical approach, others in the comments said that it proves that Nikon only cares about its white customer base. The video was released on July 24, and Nikon has not removed it or released a statement about the reaction. TechRadar has contacted Nikon SA but has not received a response at the time of publication.
Another award from the toneless marketing team goes to Nikon South Africa. In fact, I should say Nikon Europe, because it is clear that the South Africa they are marketing in does not have black influencers. Bleh ?? https://t.co/HHcsEOC0gd August 1, 2020
How can you be deaf and totally disconnected from the world around you? Our country is filled with incredibly talented black photographers and influencers who understand the marketplace and produce content that is not just great, but relevant. Make it better @Nikon_SA! August 2, 2020
I have a Nikon camera that I have always appreciated, but as a black person I have to say that I am disappointed in what I saw here. pic.twitter.com/m3SN4CzkfU August 2, 2020
< p lang="en" dir="ltr">Nikon South Africa couldn't find blacks...in South Africa https://t.co/FqUh5hlnnz August 3, 2020