Dove's 'black-to-white' soap ad sparks outrage

NEW YORK (FOX 5 NEWS) - A body wash ad where a black woman seemingly turns herself white has forced Dove to apologize twice. Still, many are fuming over the racist implications. 

The three-second clip was initially posted to Facebook on Saturday. A black woman lifts her shirt and underneath is a white woman in a lighter shirt. A picture of Dove's body wash is in the bottom right corner the whole time. 

The vetting process for ads at a company like Dove is typically cautious, according to Jeff Morosoff, the director of the public relations graduate program at Hofstra University. Writers, producers and ad agencies all have to approve the ad before the public sees it, he said. But due to the fast-paced nature of social media, the Facebook post likely went through fewer people than a TV commercial would, he said.

"This was quick, down and dirty, and subsequently probably didn't go through the same channels that a normal ad would go through," Morosoff said.

In response to the massive backlash, Dove posted a statement on Twitter.

"An image we recently posted on Facebook missed the mark in representing women of color thoughtfully. We deeply regret the offense it caused," the tweet read. 

The apology wasn't enough to thousands on social media who noted this isn't the first time Dove posted a racially insensitive ad. In 2011, an ad of a black woman beneath a "before" sign and a white woman beneath an "after" sign infuriated customers.

Dove also runs several campaigns centered around embracing diversity.

"They've done a couple of these racial missteps in their advertising and their marketing," Morosoff said. "And it's going to cause a long-standing problem for them."

Many people are now threatening to boycott Dove.

In a follow-up statement, a Dove spokesperson apologized again.

"The short video was intended to convey that Dove Body Wash is for every woman and be a celebration of diversity, but we got it wrong," the spokesperson said in a statement.