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"I have found Pear's soap matchless for the hands and complexion" ad with a before/after of a Black child turning white after using the soap
Ad for Pear's soap.

Pears Soap uses the idea of "scrubbing away melanin" as messaging for its advertising campaign.

Date: 1884

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Ad for Pear's soap.

The advertisements show a Black boy in the bath in two images. In the first, he is completely Black, and in the second image he has white skin after scrubbing with soap. Many years later, the company will apologize and state their commitment to "diversity."