Facebook's efforts to stem a growing client boycott by introducing new policies failed over the weekend, with big brands including Diageo, Starbucks and Levi’s pulling spending.

Facebook will head into July with dozens of brands including Unilever, Verizon and Coca-Cola cancelling advertising for between a month and six months — despite last-ditch attempts by the social media network to stop the boycott gathering steam. 

Facebook’s chief executive Mark Zuckerberg on Friday announced plans on a live stream to prohibit hate speech in ads and better protect groups such as immigrants from attack. He also said the group would label posts that violate its policies but remain published because the platform deems it “in the public interest”, citing certain speech by politicians as an example.