Earlier this week ESSENCE sat down with The Honey Pot Company founder Beatrice Dixon to discuss the unwarranted backlash she received over a brief Target ad that highlighted her company that specializes in plant-based feminine care.
In the commercial Dixon says, “The reason why it’s so important for Honey Pot to do well is so the next Black girl that comes up with a great idea, she can have a better opportunity.”
That brought out the haters, who proceeded to post a slew of negative product reviews on the brand’s TrustPilot page. Apparently, there was a number of white women upset about Dixon’s statement empowering young Black girls.
Fortunately she has the type of resolve that allowed her to be ultimately unbothered, realizing that there’s more love than hate out there for the brand, for her story, and for her message. She also has the support of retail giant Target, which reaffirmed its support for Beatrice, and its commitment to her brand.
“Target has a longstanding commitment to empowering and investing in diverse suppliers that create a broad variety of products for our guests,” a spokesperson for Target told ESSENCE. “We’re proud to work with Bea Dixon and The Honey Pot team to highlight Bea’s journey to build her brand and bring her products to Target. We’re aware of some negative comments about the campaign, which aren’t in line with the overwhelmingly positive feedback we’ve received from guests who love and have been inspired by Bea’s story.”
Honey Pot fans and supporters have been responding to the negativity with positive reviews, and large purchase orders of products. According to BuzzFeed, Dixon reported that sales have increased by 40 to 50 percent since the negative reviews.
They tried it, but they couldn’t keep a good Black woman down. Not today haters.