Digitally ‘shaved’ heads spark fury
The new YOU Magazine front page sporting celebrities with their hair digitally shaved off in aid of cancer has sparked outrage.
The Facebook pages of You Magazine and the Cancer Association of SA (Cansa) have been flooded with controversial messages after the magazine’s latest cancer issue hit the shelves.
Celebs such as Lee-Ann Liebenberg, Shashi Naidoo, Poppy Ntshongwana, Zakeeya Patel, Elma Postma and LeAnne Dlamini were all featured with their hair digitally photoshopped for the campaign.
In a statement on Cansa’s website, YOU magazine said it wanted to take cancer awareness to a whole new level in its 23 October 2014 issue. It added: “Doing something dramatic would be the only way to really get the message across. And what better way than to rope in South Africa’s much-loved celebrities?”
But much to both YOU Magazine and Cansa’s surprise the campaign back-fired when it sparked outrage on social media over the celebrities’ photoshopped hair.
YOU Magazine editor Linda Pietersen was quoted as saying: “Obviously we can’t ask celebrities to shave their heads because this is how they make their money, this is their livelihood. Our idea was to get them to shave their heads via Photoshop and to support and get people talking about the cancer issue.”
Lucy Balona, CANSA’s marketing and communication head, reportedly expressed surprise at the negative comments because the organisation had achieved great success in a similar awareness campaign with Marie Claire magazine.
What do you think of the ad campaign and the pictures?
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