Unilever Responds to NTT Protests over Hand Soap Commercial

TEMPO.CO, Kupang - Consumer goods producer Unilever Indonesia denied its commercial for one of its products, the Lifebuoy soap brand, discredited the people of East Nusa Tenggara (NTT). The company was responding to protests raised by the NTT community who felt that they were being degraded by the advertisement.

"We apologize if some feel uncomfortable watching the advertisement. We never meant to degrade the children and people of NTT," said Uniliver Indonesia’s head of corporate communications PT Unilever Indonesia, Maria Dwianto, on Wednesday.

Maria said the advertisement was aimed at educating the public on how to properly wash your hands, a consistent promotion by Unilever for almost 10 years in Indonesia.

The company’s "5 Tahun Bisa untuk NTT" (NTT Can Do It in Five Years), a hygiene program for the region, was based on scientific research written in an executive summary the company received from NTT’s health agency and a demographic survey on health in Indonesia in 2012.

The data revealed that NTT is one of the provinces that holds the highest number of infant deaths compared to any other province in Indonesia at 58 deaths per 1,000 births.

"One out of four babies in NTT die due to diarrhea, an illness that can actually be prevented by washing hands with soap," said Maria.

Previously, Dany Wetangterah, an NTT resident, launched a petition protesting against the Lifebuoy soap ad stating that it insults and degrades NTT residents. He called on Unilever to remove its advertisement from television.

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