Dior recently joined TikTok with its Dior Beauty account, following the trend of brands leveraging the platform for product promotion. However, the brand faced backlash for featuring Johnny Depp in a promotional video, given his controversial past.
On May 16th, Dior posted a video on TikTok and X with a black-and-white filtered Depp saying, “this is Dior Beauty on TikTok, TikTok, TikTok, TikTok.” Fans quickly voiced their discontent on social media. One user criticized the brand for using Depp, stating, “using this hideous corpse to promote ‘beauty’ by slapping a filter on him to hide the fact his skin is melting off the bone. Oh Dior, the piece of s*** company you are.”
Another post highlighted the hypocrisy of Dior’s decision, noting that the company had allegedly terminated its contract with French actress Marion Cotillard for being “too old,” yet continued to work with Depp, referred to as a “wife-beating senior citizen.”
Depp’s controversial image stems from his highly publicized legal battles with ex-wife Amber Heard, which began in 2016. Heard accused Depp of domestic violence, supported by photos of injuries she claimed he inflicted. Videos from the legal battle showed heated confrontations, with Depp slamming cabinet doors and a wine bottle, while Heard attempted to calm him down.
This isn’t the first time Depp has stirred controversy in advertising. In September 2021, a Dior ad featuring Depp playing guitar to “Wild Thing” in a desert surrounded by wolves drew criticism for allegedly appropriating Native American iconography. Dior appeared to remove the ad following the backlash.
Despite these controversies, Dior continued its partnership with Depp. According to The Hollywood Reporter, in 2023, Depp extended his deal with Dior for the Sauvage fragrance, reportedly worth over $20 million.
