A recently acquired copy of a speech scheduled to be delivered by Unilever's head of marketing next week has revealed that the company is now thinking about pulling its digital ads if social media platforms don't shape up. Social media platforms like Google and Facebook have recently been caught up in different controversies dealing with extremely touchy topics such as sexism, racism, terrorism, and fake news.
According to the prepared speech for Unilever's marketing head, Keith Weed, the platforms have apparently become a "swamp" for controversial content. Unilever is apparently concerned about how these types of content will reflect on them and their products. In the copy of the speech exclusively obtained by CNN, Unilever explained that they cannot continue to show their advertisements on these platforms if things do not change. As a global brand, the company does not want to associate itself with content that "creates division" or is not appropriate for younger consumers.
The company, which owns worldwide brands such as Lipton, Rexona, Dove, Sunsilk, and Ben & Jerry's, currently spends more than $9.8 billion on advertisements. Roughly 25 percent of its ad catalog is shown digitally, with a majority appearing on sites owned by Google and Facebook.
