Nigerian-born actor John Boyega has decided to cut ties with British cologne company Jo Malone and will no longer be their global brand ambassador after his concepts were used for a campaign in China without his knowledge.
According to the actor, he came up with the concept for his commercial for Jo Malone, which he also directed. The ad ‘London Gent’ was released in 2019 and won The Fragrance Foundation Virtual Awards 2020 for Best Media Campaign.
We are thrilled to announce that our Jo Malone London Gent film featuring @JohnBoyega is the proud winner of The Fragrance Foundation Virtual Awards 2020 for Best Media Campaign. #ScentofAGent #TheFragranceFoundationAwards pic.twitter.com/rNZpTVXLB6
— Jo Malone London (@JoMaloneLondon) August 27, 2020
Now the brand reshot the commercial with Chinese actor Liu Haoran without getting his consent.
Boyega took to Twitter to expressed his displeasure with the brands actions. He tweeted:
“I have decided to step down as Jo Malone’s global ambassador. When I joined the brand as their first male global ambassador last year, I created the short film we used to launch the campaign. It won the Fragrance Foundation Virtual awards 2020 for Best Media Campaign”
Their decision to replace my campaign in China by using my concepts and substituting a local brand ambassador for me, without either my consent or prior notice, was wrong. The film celebrated my personal story– showcasing my hometown, including my friends and featuring my family.
— John Boyega (@JohnBoyega) September 14, 2020
It’s back to back but I assure you this will be dealt with swiftly. I don’t have time for nonsense. We press on and strong. Stay blessed people ❤️
— John Boyega (@JohnBoyega) September 14, 2020
Jo Malone London also released a statement to apologize for what happened.
“We deeply apologize for what, on our end, was a mistake in the local execution of the John Boyega campaign,” a rep for the brand told The Hollywood Reporter. “John is a tremendous artist with great personal vision and direction. The concept for the film was based on John’s personal experiences and should not have been replicated.”
John Boyega is an incredible talent, artist and person and we were proud to have him as part of our Jo Malone London family. We respect John’s decision and we wish him all the best.
— Jo Malone London (@JoMaloneLondon) September 14, 2020
You can watch the original ad and recent ad in the video below:
