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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to think there is no such thing as a 'British' blonde - yes you Miss Davina MacColl

112 replies

CreamolaFoamless · 15/12/2011 19:10

I've just seen an advert for the new shades in Garnier hair colour and it's left me a bit wtf?

The new shades are the British Blonde range ......how, why , what????

Surely, given the amount of racial tension that has been bubbling in this country (women on train, Steven Lawerence) calling the new collection 'British' blonde is beyond stupid?

Or is it just me ?

How can British blonde hair be different to any other blonde hair?

whats next the 'British' brunette , the 'British' redhead collection

If the jury think I'm not being unreasonable I will make my first complaint to the advertising standards people

OP posts:
YouOldSlag · 15/12/2011 19:15

YABU. You've got Rimmel London, English Bone China, Welsh Lamb. British is not a dirty word. It's the Olympics coming up, there'll be patriotism everywhere, don't get it confused with xenophobia or jingoism- that's another load of people altogether.

pooka · 15/12/2011 19:17

Yabu and reading too much into it IMO.

tethersjinglebellend · 15/12/2011 19:19

Actually, I wondered about this... it's not the use of the word 'British', it's the implication, albeit unintentional, that British people are blonde. Which is clearly nuts Confused

GrimmaTheNome · 15/12/2011 19:21

There is such a thing as a British Blonde, characterised by a total lack of need for Garnier or any other hair colour as we are 100% natural [tosses hair imperiously]

Its produced by the combination of moderately fair hair genes and not enough sun.

TattyDevine · 15/12/2011 19:21

Its a "collection"

As is Parker Pen Jotter British Mania collection and I could go on but no, I'd leave it?!?

I'm not sure they are saying that British blonde hair is superior to Swedish blonde hair or German blonde hair...

libelulle · 15/12/2011 19:22

Yep that was my problem with it too - it implied that bl

TattyDevine · 15/12/2011 19:23

How do you produce blonde hair with not enough sun, Grimma?
As opposed to having lots of sun?

libelulle · 15/12/2011 19:24

Oh bloody iPhone. It implied that true British girls are blonde, not like these foreign types... Both me and dh thought wtf when we saw it. I think a complaint would not be over the top at all.

TattyDevine · 15/12/2011 19:24

If Garnier were implying that British people were blonde, they wouldn't need to sell blonde hair dye?

And if they were implying that all British people WANTED to be blonde, they wouldn't sell brown hair dye?

What the actual feck implies anything?!?

OrmIrian · 15/12/2011 19:25

DS1 ia blond. And he is British. Is that OK? Or should I beat him for inciting racial hatred...

GoingForGoalWeight · 15/12/2011 19:25

YABU Biscuit

GrimmaTheNome · 15/12/2011 19:25

If you have lots of sun you get more highlights than can be achieved by a true British blonde Grin.

Original poster
CreamolaFoamless · 15/12/2011 19:33

I just don't see how blonde hair can be british ?

Britain didn't invent blonde hair ?

Is British blonde hair a different shade of Blonde to French blonde hair or South african blonde hair ?

I hadn't thought about the olympic connection and geeing up patronism, that's an interesting angle .

I shall await the release of 'Scottish Brunette' Xmas Grin

OP posts:
Original poster
CreamolaFoamless · 15/12/2011 19:36

or let's be honest .......'Scottish Brown Hair with a hint of grey'

OP posts:
GrimmaTheNome · 15/12/2011 19:36

Those marketing twats types will want another alliterative name. Glasgow Ginger?

winterfox · 15/12/2011 19:37

agree with op and thought the same after seeing the ad the other week, most odd and a bit daft

GrimmaTheNome · 15/12/2011 19:39

'Scottish Brown Hair with a hint of grey'

Ah, that'd be Scottish Salt'n'Pepper.

libelulle · 15/12/2011 19:42

Ormirian, completely fine Grin but if you started saying to people 'oh yes, my son is blonde, he looks terribly British doesn't he?', that wouldn't be so ok! That to me is what the advert implies - that blonde is British, brown not so much so. They may sell brown hair colouring but they don't call it 'British brown'!

TattyDevine · 15/12/2011 19:43

"I just don't see how blonde hair can be british ?

It is if its on a British person, natural or otherwise. You do realise that people with naturally dark hair (perhaps people with an ethnic origin from Africa, Afganistan, or wherever, might actually be BRITISH, but might want to be blonde?)

Britain didn't invent blonde hair ?

(Are they saying they did? I don't think they are actually saying they did?)

Is British blonde hair a different shade of Blonde to French blonde hair or South african blonde hair ?

Once again, are you aware of whether or not Garnier have released a French version in France, etc etc? Because often they do. When I fly home to Australia and see the Australian version of marketing that has occured first in the UK, I giggle. Its not unlikely that they have a French blondes or SA blondes collection being released over there if indeed they do market over there!

Honestly, its not enough, in my opinion, to get offended over! Who are they offending? Are they saying you need to present your passport to the clerk at Superdrug before you can purchase? Because if not, I think you are applying to be Chartered in Offended.

Feminine · 15/12/2011 19:46

Maybe its to emulate the 'British" blonde that can only be found in a packet? Grin

That particular dyed look...

TattyDevine · 15/12/2011 19:47

Just to summarise, OP, your OP reads as if you are trying to be offended on behalf of perhaps Islamic people or Afro Carribean people or whatever, on the basis that they are not blonde and not British (or, at least I assume that is what you are getting at, otherwise there really is nothing to be offended at?)

They can be British, if they were born here, or were eligible for a British passport for whatever reason.

They can also be blonde, if they use a suitably high-lift (preferably 40 volume peroxide Grin ) product to give them the lift they need.

Thus, they too can be British blondes.

Nobody is excluded.

Your problem is what, exactly?

minciepie · 15/12/2011 19:50

Sorry but "British Blonde" does not imply that all British people are blonde.

If that was the case, there would be no need to say "British Blonde". They could just call the colour "British" and that would inherently mean blonde - since all British people must be blonde.

To me, "British Blonde" just means "the kind of blonde you get in Britain" (as opposed to, say, the kind of blonde you get in America or Sweden). Yes there is a difference. British blonde is probably fake and with a few roots showing Grin

Original poster
CreamolaFoamless · 15/12/2011 19:52

No TattyDevine .... I have not seen the advertising campaigns in France .

But once you start associating a hair shade or colour with a country , you're on a slippery slope.

The muppets at garnier who came up with this campaign should be embarressed.

OP posts:
TattyDevine · 15/12/2011 19:54

They were possibly copying Loreal <a class="break-all" href="http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?q=california+blonde&um=1&hl=en&sa=N&biw=1093&bih=491&tbm=isch&tbnid=blVmJ-1vfbyZoM:&imgrefurl=www.chemistdirect.co.uk/loreal-rcital-prfrence-california-blonde-8_1_220.html&docid=pW5hbCCpkmN3yM&imgurl=images.chemistdirect.co.uk/images/productimages/large/recitalpreferencecaliforniablonde8220.jpeg&w=250&h=250&ei=ZFDqTpXjMMTKswbv7einBw&zoom=1&iact=rc&dur=217&sig=114929063436534649235&page=1&tbnh=113&tbnw=113&start=0&ndsp=15&ved=1t:429,r:0,s:0&tx=66&ty=36" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">California Blonde

TattyDevine · 15/12/2011 19:56

Helsinki light ash blonde

That's in Sweden, by the way Grin

Sweeden is a country.