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‘We hear you’: Belo apologizes for ‘Pandemic Effect’ ad, takes down video

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<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="A woman’s physical transformation is depicted in Belo’s ‘Pandemic Effect’ ad" src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2021/life/08/10/20210810-ads.jpg"/><figcaption>A woman’s physical transformation is depicted in Belo’s ‘Pandemic Effect’ ad, which has since been taken down. <em>Screenshot: Belo Medical Group</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>MANILA—The Belo Medical Group apologized early Wednesday for what it acknowledged was an “insensitive and upsetting” ad, which depicted a woman’s physical transformation while stuck at home due to the coronavirus lockdown.</p><p>Released on Tuesday morning, the ad dubbed “Pandemic Effect” shows a conventionally attractive woman whose appearance changes, in an apparent time lapse, while seated on a couch and watching pandemic-related news.</p><p>Within seconds, she grows facial and body hair, is covered with blemishes, and gains significant weight.</p><p>“Ano’ng nangyari?” she is asked while on a video call at the end of the ad.</p><p>“Tough times call for beautiful measures,” goes the tagline of the campaign.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/08/10/21/anxiety-depression-hit-pinoys-during-pandemic-study">Many Filipinos battle anxiety, depression due to COVID-19, work from home: study</a></li></ul><p>Gigil, the ad agency behind the campaign, said in an official release that the video touches on “negative energy that manifests itself in our appearance, without us even realizing it.”</p><p>“This pandemic has been exhausting. Luckily, Belo reminds us that it’s here to take care of us,” the group said.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/ancx/culture/spotlight/11/30/20/from-the-makers-of-the-viral-rc-cola-ad-these-equally-goofy-commercials">From the makers of the viral RC Cola ad, these equally goofy commercials</a></li></ul><p>The backlash to the ad was swift on social media, with many criticizing the campaign for “shaming” those who have been struggling through the lockdown into booking a session with Belo.</p><p>Past midnight on Wednesday, the Belo Medical Group addressed the criticism, issued an apology, and took down the ad from its official channels.</p><blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CSZrZ-thL28/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="13" style="background:#FFF;border:0;border-radius:3px;box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 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style="padding-top:8px"><div style="color:#3897f0;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px;font-style:normal;font-weight:550;line-height:18px"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CSZrZ-thL28/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style="background:#FFFFFF;line-height:0;padding:0 0;text-align:center;text-decoration:none;width:100%" target="_blank">View this post on Instagram</a></div></div><div style="padding:12.5% 0"> </div><div style="display:flex;flex-direction:row;margin-bottom:14px;align-items:center"><div><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:50%;height:12.5px;width:12.5px;transform:translateX(0px) translateY(7px)"> </div><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;height:12.5px;transform:rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px);width:12.5px;flex-grow:0;margin-right:14px;margin-left:2px"> </div><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:50%;height:12.5px;width:12.5px;transform:translateX(9px) translateY(-18px)"> </div></div><div style="margin-left:8px"><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:50%;flex-grow:0;height:20px;width:20px"> </div><div style="width:0;height:0;border-top:2px solid transparent;border-left:6px solid #f4f4f4;border-bottom:2px solid transparent;transform:translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg)"> </div></div><div style="margin-left:auto"><div style="width:0px;border-top:8px solid #F4F4F4;border-right:8px solid transparent;transform:translateY(16px)"> </div><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;flex-grow:0;height:12px;width:16px;transform:translateY(-4px)"> </div><div style="width:0;height:0;border-top:8px solid #F4F4F4;border-left:8px solid transparent;transform:translateY(-4px) translateX(8px)"> </div></div></div><div style="display:flex;flex-direction:column;flex-grow:1;justify-content:center;margin-bottom:24px"><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:4px;flex-grow:0;height:14px;margin-bottom:6px;width:224px"> </div><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:4px;flex-grow:0;height:14px;width:144px"> </div></div><div style="color:#c9c8cd;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:17px;margin-bottom:0;margin-top:8px;overflow:hidden;padding:8px 0 7px;text-align:center;text-overflow:ellipsis;white-space:nowrap"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CSZrZ-thL28/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style="color:#c9c8cd;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px;font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;line-height:17px;text-decoration:none" target="_blank">A post shared by Belo Medical Group (@belobeauty)</a></div></div></blockquote><div><script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js" type="text/javascript"></script></div><p>Here’s Belo’s statement, in full:</p><p>“We apologize about our recent Pandemic Effect film. Thank you for being gracious in letting us know your thoughts about it.</p><p>“We hear you. You helped us see what we failed to see, which is that the film is insensitive and upsetting. Because of this, we have taken the ad down.</p><p>“We commit ourselves to learning from this and to bring our learnings into the future.”</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/life/04/21/21/look-vicki-belo-helps-administer-covid-19-vaccines-in-makati">LOOK: Vicki Belo helps administer COVID-19 vaccines in Makati</a></li></ul><div><strong>Related videos:</strong></div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/dsbLWLotMvU?enablejsapi=1" width="560"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more in <a href="//www.iwantv.com.ph/">iWantv</a> or <a href="//tfc.tv/">TFC.tv</a></div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/SobHFzHHUqY?enablejsapi=1" width="560"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more in <a href="//www.iwantv.com.ph/">iWantv</a> or <a href="//tfc.tv/">TFC.tv</a></div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/qg6ZuuSfBkI?enablejsapi=1" width="560"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more in <a href="//www.iwantv.com.ph/">iWantv</a> or <a href="//tfc.tv/">TFC.tv</a></div>

The Belo Medical Group apologized early Wednesday for what it admitted was an “insensitive and upsetting” ad, which depicted a woman’s physical transformation while stuck at home due to the coronavirus lockdown.