Nivea, part of the Beiersdorf AG, apologized for its controversial ad in the magazine Esquire. The ad showed an African-American holding a mask of an "uncivilized" man with an Afro haircut.
The title read "Look Like You Give a Damn. Re-civilize Yourself."
The ad became a trending topic on Twitter, many claiming that it was racist and insensitive.
A statement later released by Nivea read "We are deeply sorry to anyone who may take offense to this specific local advertisement. After realizing that this ad is misleading, it was immediately withdrawn."
