The insurance company on Sunday posted a video on Twitter in honour of all the "amazing dads out there".
In the video, fathers are seen sharing happy moments with their children and having silly moments.
Instead of stirring emotions, the advert caused an outrage, with users blasting it for its lack of diversity and failing to represent South African fathers of all races.
Happy #FathersDay to all the amazing dads out there! pic.twitter.com/pibcerM52W
— OUTsurance (@OUTsurance) June 18, 2017
One user sarcastically congratulated the company for turning what should have been a celebration of all fathers, into a celebration of white fathers.
This doesn't accurately represent FATHERS of all races in South Africa. I have a feeling a lot of your clients will cancel on you tomorrow— Ange Saint-Truth (@angesainttruth) June 18, 2017
Another user also attacked Outsurance for raising funds of the Knysna fire victims while failing to do the same thing for victims of shack fires.
.@OUTsurance first you raised R250K for Knysna fires, but have never donated to the shack fires victims. Now an anti-Black fathers day ad. pic.twitter.com/tkVwa4Sr9J
— Pholoho Selebano (@Pholoho) June 18, 2017
Celebrities also reacted to the video, with the likes of actress Rami Chuene posting a montage of pictures which could have been used to celebrate fathers.
— Rami Chuene 1st Lady (@ramichuene) June 18, 2017
Hey look! That's me and my father! I think we make a cool advert, what do you think @OUTsurance? #FathersDay pic.twitter.com/IDEBQ6KTRv
— Rami Chuene 1st Lady (@ramichuene) June 18, 2017
Actor Hlomla Dandala also weighed in on the matter, saying the advert clearly demonstrated how fatherhood was clearly not a black thing.
Good Fathery is clearly not a black thing, I see. Or is that something you guys choose not to see? https://t.co/d6I7Hog5Rv— Literate Lion (@HlomlaDandala) June 18, 2017
When contacted for comment, Outsurance said it was aware of the post and has since apologised for the "offensive" advert.
Some of the reactions to the advert:
Well done to @OUTsurance who have managed to turn a celebration about fathers to a celebration of white men 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽.
— (South) Afri_CAN® (@MalesJ) June 18, 2017
So wait @OUTsurance, are you saying that black dad's aren't awesome dad's? SA can we not let this slide, pls!! This is just so wrong
— Mpule (@mpulay) June 18, 2017
OMW! Anyone else recently seen @OUTsurance's Life Insurance ad – the one where the dad dies? I'm shocked at the insensitivity of it! Shocked
— Eulogi (@Eulogs) June 17, 2017
#outsurance is not new to racist undertones, they had this guy in blackface in their ads for years. pic.twitter.com/lVNhjvSNUF
— Njabulo🗯 (@iNJBL) June 18, 2017
