John Boyega has stepped down as the brand ambassador for the Jo Malone fragrance after the actor learned that he was replaced in an ad campaign that he created.
In a Twitter thread announcing his exit, Boyega revealed that he was tapped to execute a short film for the company that went on to win the Best Media Campaign at the 2020 Fragrance Foundation Virtual Awards. The film featured Boyega’s home neighborhood along with his friends and family. “The film celebrated my personal story,” the actor wrote. However, things went south when Jo Malone entirely reshot the campaign for a new ad in China without his “consent or prior notice,” prompting Boyega to speak out and resign from the brand.
“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,” Boyega tweeted. “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.”
You can see Boyega’s full statement below:
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.
— John Boyega (@JohnBoyega) September 14, 2020
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 ❤️
— John Boyega (@JohnBoyega) September 14, 2020
Ahead of Boyega’s resignation, Jo Malone had attempted to rectify the situation on Saturday by releasing a statement to The Hollywood Reporter, to which the fragrance company admitted its mistake and apologized to all parties involved:
“We deeply apologize for what, on our end, was a mistake in the local execution of the John Boyega campaign,” Jo Malone London said in a statement sent to THR. “John is a tremendous artist with great personal vision and direction. The concept for the film was based on John’s personal experiences and should not have been replicated.”
The company said it also apologized to [actor Liu] Haoran, who was not involved in the “concepting” of the campaign.
“While we immediately took action and removed the local version of the campaign, we recognize that this was painful and that offense was caused,” it added. “We respect John, and support our partners and fans globally. We are taking this misstep very seriously and we are working together as a brand to do better moving forward.”
By that point, the damage was already done. Boyega has become a fierce advocate against cultural slights, even going so far as to call out Star Wars, and clearly, he was not about to let this latest transgression stand.
(Via John Boyega on Twitter)
