A change.org campaign against Le Tan has resulted in the company’s radio ads being pulled off air.

Petitioner Georgina Bitcon began a campaign on the petition website after hearing a radio ad for the sun tanning product, which she says needlessly makes girls feel insecure:

The Le Tan ads directly exploit women’s insecurities to attempt to make profit.

The ad contains a man saying that a woman ‘looks hot’ and then shudders away when she takes of her jacket to reveal her ‘PWS’ (AKA Pasty White Skin), a term coined by the cosmetics company to infer that to have pale skin is akin to a disorder or condition.

The campaign directly announces through the male character, and I quote, that ‘Pasty White Skin is NEVER a good look’ and ‘Pasty White Skin is NOT making a comeback’.

As I listened to this radio ad, I was driving an 8 year old girl home from school. That 8 year old has gorgeous strawberry blonde hair, the biggest blue eyes you will ever see and the skin of a porcelain doll. I watched her reaction as a fellow ‘pasty girl’ and could see her mortification. 

Young girls should not be made to feel needlessly insecure. This ad targets the vulernable group that is young women and exploits their insecurities.

After 1551 supporters signed the petition, Le Tan removed the radio ads, saying:

“Hi Georgina, thanks for your post! After carefully considering all the feedback, and given it was never our intent to cause offence, we have removed the radio ads. Kind Regards, Le Tan Team.”