The ad, which was first published in September last year, is back in circulation after his court victory over his former wife, who's found to defame him in her 2018 Washington Post op-ed.
- Jun 11, 2022
AceShowbiz - Johnny Depp's controversial Dior ads are back in circulation after his court victory over Amber Heard. The French fashion house is broadcasting an old promo starring the "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales" actor, which was slammed in 2020 by domestic violence campaigners when it was shown at the height of abuse allegations against him from his ex played out in a U.K. court.
Dior also continued to stand by Depp throughout his defamation trial against Heard, 36, with sales of the "Sauvage" cologne he advertises recently soaring, according to the Wall Street Journal. TMZ highlighted how the ad recently aired in primetime during an episode of "MasterChef" on FOX from 8 to 9 P.M. on Wednesday, June 8.
So far, Dior has not official commented on whether if it is making a renewed push on Depp's "Sauvage" ads. Depp filmed a string of Dior commercials for the since he became the brand ambassador for its cologne in 2015. Most recently, an advert featuring Depp playing chords on a guitar for "Wild Thing" while standing alone in a desert surrounded by wolves has been in rotation. It was posted by the brand in September 2021.
Depp previously attracted controversy for a Dior ad in 2019 that was slammed as racist due to the appropriation of Native American iconography by the actor and Dior. Dior appeared to have removed the ad and related materials from its social media posts in the wake of the row, according to The Guardian.
The Wall Street Journal said June cosmetics retailer and its competitor Ulta have both seen hikes in sales for Depp's cologne, making it one of their top-sellers. Despite Dior's apparent backing, there appears to be no firm signs Depp will make a comeback to the lucrative family-friendly "Pirates of the Caribbean" franchise.
Producer Jerry Bruckheimer, 78, last month told the Sunday Times there were no plans to bring him back as Captain Jack Sparrow. Depp declared at the start of the month he felt he has "his life back" when a jury ruled he was defamed and awarded him $15 million, finding "Aquaman" actress Heard had falsely accused him of domestic abuse.
