Unpacking the Neutrogena Boycott Over Hayden Panettiere

Key Points:

• Neutrogena’s stock dropped 2 percent on Monday following calls to boycott the company after it was revealed that the brand ended its relationship with late actress Hayden Panettiere in 2015.
• Panettiere, who died at 36, served as a Neutrogena ambassador for ten years but lost her contract after openly discussing postpartum depression, which she said was a shock and a heartbreak.
• Panettiere described how her contract included strict “moral clauses,” and after revealing her struggles on a TV show, Neutrogena sought to terminate her contract, citing concerns over her public image.
• Despite legal protections against firing her for maternal health reasons, Neutrogena ended the partnership quietly at the end of 2015, with no formal announcement or outreach to Panettiere afterward.
• The controversy has reignited public criticism of Neutrogena, with social media users condemning the brand for its handling of Panettiere’s postpartum depression disclosure and calling for a boycott.