Christian Dior faces backlash over Johnny Depp 'Sauvage' poster campaign
Christian Dior has courted complaints from shoppers in Australia over a promotional push for its 'Sauvage' fragrance fronted by Johnny Depp.
Johnny Depp 'Sauvage' campaign / johnny depp sauvage
The actor, who has unveiled as the brand's ambassador for the scent in 2015, has featured in a series of posters around Sydney and Melbourne as part of the renewed campaign for Sauvage.
The posters show the Pirates of the Caribbean star standing against a desert-like backdrop alongside the strapline: 'Sauvage, wild at heart', and are part of a wider campaign which launched last year.
However, the drive from the fashion house comes little over a week since Depp's divorce from Amber Heard was settled amid allegations of domestic violence from the latter, and has courted "a couple of complaints," to the Australian Advertising Standard Bureau (ASB).
The watchdog's chief, Fiona Jolly, confirmed to the Sydney Morning Herald that more than one complaint had been made, and while she wouldn't reveal the exact nature of the issue confirmed that they "centre around the use of the actor in the advertisements."
The timing, and wording, of the ad has courted controversy on Twitter, with users dubbing it "tasteless".
How tasteless is this: Johnny Depp in a cologne ad in the new ESPN magazine issue. Great timing, Christian Dior pic.twitter.com/pNQuXPXOWB
— Andrew Wallenstein (@awallenstein) August 28, 2016
This is an unfortunately timed advertising campaign pic.twitter.com/UcexaJhcRY — Jenna Clarke (@jennamclarke) August 23, 2016
Heard claimed Depp had physically assaulted her throughout their 18-month marriage. She later withdrew the claims and is donating her full $7m divorce settlement agreement to several charities, including the American Civil Liberties Union which seeks to combat violence against women.
When the accusations against Depp first emerged, UK-based domestic violence charity Women's Aid said Dior should cease to work with the celebrity.
"If the allegations of domestic abuse are proven to be true, we would hope that a responsible fashion house would not continue to work with a perpetrator – no matter how high-profile they may be," a spokesperson for Women’s Aid told the Guardian.
The actor has repeatedly denied the allegations, in a joint statement following the pair's divorce, they said: "Our relationship was intensely passionate and at times volatile, but always bound by love."
"Neither party has lied nor made false accusations for financial gain. There was never any intent of physical or emotional harm. Amber wishes the best for Johnny in the future. Amber will be donating financial proceeds from the divorce to a charity."