Anne Frank, a 15-year-old Holocaust victim honored for her posthumously published diary recounting her family’s time hiding from the Nazis in Amsterdam, wouldn’t normally be associated with beauty products. But this week, a Hong Kong makeup brand attached her name to a liquid blush — and faced the ire of critics who slammed the act on social media.
The brand, called Woke Up Like This (WULT), received a glowing write-up in Time Out Hong Kong on Wednesday for the “Face Dab” collection of liquid blushes to ring in the brand’s first anniversary.
The article has since been taken down from the site, but US-based Jewish newspaper Algemeiner noted the beauty-product line “aims to promote Sexual Health Awareness Month by naming the products after inspiring, famous women in hopes to inspire WULT customers to live their dreams and break through gender barriers.”
“Dream Like Anne,” no longer available for purchase on the brand’s website, joined four other pastel-tone shades in the collection. Other names for the line included “Like Like Melinda” for philanthropist Melinda Gates, “In Woolf’s Words” for writer Virginia Woolf and “Viva La Frida” for artist Frida Kahlo.
“Dream Like Anne” retailed for about $38.50.
Ben M. Freeman, a Jewish author, was among the first to take to Twitter.
“Naming a shade of blush after Anne Frank, who was a victim of genocide is revolting,” he tweeted. “Dead Jews are not a marketing opportunity. [Time Out Hong Kong], shame on you for not noticing and for promoting this disrespect.”
His tweet drew 109 retweets and several dozen comments, some of which included, “This is marketing at its worst” and “Yeah, Anne Frank really lived her dreams,” followed by a screaming-face emoji.
In turn, Time Out offered a lengthy editor’s note to the top of the article while it remained live on the website — a statement longer than the article itself, which still included the Anne Frank mention.
“We understand and recognize the insensitivities within this article, and that the inclusion of this product came across as disrespectful of Anne Frank and what she represents,” it read. “We sincerely apologize for the distress that this piece has caused.”
Hong Kong-based CNN Travel editor Lilit Marcus also tweeted about the correction, and added in the comments that “they published it on Erev Rosh Hashanah,” meaning the day before the Jewish new year, which begins Friday evening.
WULT issued an apology in response to the backlash.
“To those who were offended by the naming of Face Dab — Dream Like Anne, we sincerely apologize for the miscommunication and misunderstanding this has caused,” the statement said. “We have the greatest respect for Ms Anne Frank, and it was never our intention to be insulting, offensive, or to reap profits from naming the product after a historical figure whose life was tragically cut short by events that bring out the worst of mankind.”