Yesterday the makeup brand Max Factor posted the story above on their Instagram account @maxfactorarabia distancing themselves from the influencer Sondos. Over the weekend Sondos had posted racial comments on her social media account which got picked up by news outlets around the world and caused a great deal of controversy locally.
From what I’m aware Max Factor are the first brand to distance themselves from her. Previously a reader had told me that Boutiqaat had dropped Sondos as well, but, that doesn’t seem to be the case since she’s still listed on their website and they’ve refused to comment on the situation when I spoke to them.
Anyway, I thought it was impressive that Max Factor disassociated themselves from Sondos since I didn’t hear of any brand dropping 3bodka after his incident.
Update: The cosmetics brand Etude House posted a story today also distancing themselves from Sondos although they don’t mention her by name. You can check their story [Here]
24 replies on “Advertiser Drops Influencer after Racial Comments”
Good decision. Only that I’m surprised about the incorrect English in that short announcement by a top brand like Max Factor
The English seems fine.
It may seem fine, but its not.
Oh god your right. They way they wrote it sounds like they support her views.
it’s*
I guess animal abuse is not as bad as slavery.
Well…yeah.
Not to be a “grammar nazi” 😛 But I had to double check…there is a double negative in there 🙂
Guess what? She’s doubling down on her comments and believes she said nothing wrong
She seriously needs media training
not only that but based on her story this morning brands are still teaming up with her with the latest one being Make Up Store.
Yea that’s what I was referring to. Hoping my company wouldn’t go through with it..I guess they are, since she has confirmed it like you mentioned.
Myself and a number of other people got on Make Up Store’s intagram page and condemned them for endorsing Sondos. They responded to all of us today saying they do not support nor have relations with her and have asked their Kuwait branch to cut ties immediately.
She might need media training, but we need to have some self respect and not do whatever just to please others. Especially when those “others” are only trying to slander.
Someone yesterday just called their house maid a “house manager”. Who the hell calls a house maid a house manager? And 34 years old woman calling called theirs nanny! That’s plain dumb.
She is still featured in their Instagram feed. I guess this means they want to distance themselves from her personal views, but still work with her?
Yes, this is what I understood from my initial read of it. So did you confirm, Mark, if they did drop her, a per your post title?
How apropos would it be if Sondos was somehow sentenced to do some community service (for a month or two, maybe more, maybe less, I dunno’) with no days off?
I think brands distancing themselves from her is insignificant (other brands will just take their place, no biggie) and also kinda’… petty. By petty, I mean it leaves a bad taste in my mouth, because I personally believe that you don’t f’x with someone’s livelihood (and I’m not too positive about this, but I think she makes her money from working with brands and such). I know she made those nasty comments earlier (which in practice jeopardizes domestic workers’ livelihoods) but 2 wrongs don’t make a right.
Something like a little community service (highly unrealistic, I know) feels like it would do her more good. Just throwin it out there.
I would pay good money to see Sondos lift a finger, let alone do community service work.
I cannot stand this behavior , I truly wish she is dropped from all labels.
I wish as well. However some brand owners are as bad as her and will continue supporting such a bad example.
Boutiqaat no longer displaying Sondos’ page.
i just checked, she’s still there “Sondos Boutique”
the guardian published her story
Anyone seen the hate max factor is getting for doing the right thing? Read the comments on max factor post.
I saw snippets of what she said. It was interested how they translated “maid” to “servant” just to give an impression that she (or Kuwaitis in general) are demeaning in their treatments. I believe the whole video was edited in a way to take her words out of context.
I hope that Sondos hires good lawyers and sue for defamation all of those who cut ties with her and used her name in their announcement.