New York, NY, March 28, 2012 … The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) today welcomed the efforts by the Turkish government, Jewish community and public that finally convinced an advertising agency to remove from the airwaves shampoo ads featuring footage of Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler with a voiceover urging men to buy the product.

"It defies belief that someone would think that Hitler was an appropriate spokesman for shampoo," said Abraham H. Foxman, ADL National Director and a Holocaust survivor.  "The government of Turkey and the Turkish public should be commended for recognizing the inappropriateness of this commercial and for speaking out and putting pressure on those responsible to retract it.

"As we move further away in time from the events of the Holocaust, it is essential that good people stand up to protect the memory of the six million Jews and millions of others who perished as a result of Hitler's genocidal actions," Mr. Foxman said.  "The Turkish government and people did just that, and we are grateful."

The commercial for Biomen shampoo used archival footage of the Nazi dictator angrily waving his arms, with a Hitler-like voiceover in Turkish urging men to purchase the shampoo.  The ads reportedly aired on a sports channel in Turkey, and were widely available to additional viewers around the world via the Internet and YouTube.