NEW YORK (1010 WINS) — Alitalia apologized and removed an advertisement which featured an actor portraying Barack Obama in blackface after facing outrage on social media.
The ad was one in a series which showcased the airline’s new route from Rome to Washington D.C., with actors portraying presidents such as Abraham Lincoln and Donald Trump.
The casting of a man in dark makeup to play Barack Obama, however, drew ire.
Initially, Alitalia defended the video, saying “makeup was applied to highlight features," the New York Times reported.
However, as the backlash escalated, the company retracted the video and issued a statement on Twitter, saying, “"For our Company, respect for everyone is mandatory, it was never our intention to hurt anyone and we will learn from what has happened.”