Nigerian-British actor, John Boyega, has announced he is stepping down as global ambassador for Jo Malone, a UK-based perfume brand, after the company replaced him in a Chinese version of an advert he created “without his consent”.
Reacting to the development in a Twitter thread, Boyega said his decision to step down as ambassador was because he could not overlook the company “dismissively trading out one’s culture” through such manner.
“I have decided to step down as Jo Malone’s global ambassador. When I joined the brand as their first male global ambassador last year, I created the short film we used to launch the campaign. It won the Fragrance Foundation Virtual awards 2020 for Best Media Campaign,” he wrote.
“Their decision to replace my campaign in China by using my concepts and substituting a local brand ambassador for me, without either my consent or prior notice, was wrong. The film celebrated my personal story– showcasing my hometown, including my friends and featuring my family.
“While many brands understandably use a variety of global and local ambassadors, dismissively trading out one’s culture this way is not something I can condone.”
The actor vowed to deal with the situation “swiftly,” adding that “I don’t have time for this nonsense.”
“It’s back to back but I assure you this will be dealt with swiftly. I don’t have time for nonsense. We press on and strong. Stay blessed people,” he added.
See tweet below;
