Unilever is donating to the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND) for use of its iconic symbol, after pressure from peace campaigners over its latest Axe and Lynx ‘Peace’ adverts.
Unilever has used the CND logo to brand its new Lynx Peace range of deodorant, shampoo and body wash, claiming it was a “universal symbol of peace.”
But CND general secretary Kate Hudson was clear the company was “trading off our 56-year legacy.”
The multinational has now made a donation to CND’s charitable trust to help fund their peace education programme in schools.
The campaign, which has seen 70ft peace signs tagged on various landmarks across the capital, was slammed by CND as being a “disingenuous”.
Unilever defended its use of the logo and highlighted its commitment to promoting global peace through its work with the charity Peace One Day.
In a statement the company said: “In recognition of its historic link with the universal peace symbol, we are making a donation to CND’s charitable trust to help fund their non-campaigning peace education programme in schools. The Lynx campaign, supported by global organisation Peace Once Day, aims to raise awareness of peace internationally.”
The symbol was created in 1958 to support the CND group. The activists have deliberately not copyrighted the sign and consequently brands do not need permission to use it. The organisation does, however, ask for donations whenever the logo is used commercially.
CND welcomed the donation, hailing the efforts of “thousands” of supporters who have made the concerns about the logo’s use “impossible for Unilever to ignore”. it claims “thousands” of people have posted on both Lynx and CND’s Twitter and Facebook pages over the past week.