H&M is a purveyor of fast fashion, a Swedish retail behemoth that’s one of the few companies to survive the “retailpocalypse”. Its discount fashions are a hit with millennials because they’re on trend, affordable, and available in record time. And part of its appeal is its slick advertising, which often features A-list celebrities and models like Nicki Minaj, Beyoncé, The Weeknd, and Gisele Bündchen. However, its latest round of advertising is leading many to boycott the brand.
On January 8, a photo surfaced showing a young black child model in a hoodie that reads, “Coolest monkey in the jungle”. Immediately, the internet erupted in a frenzy. The Weekend and G-Eazy, at the moment pop and hip-hop stars with lucrative brand partnerships, cut ties. There were calls for a boycott. LeBron James and Diddy went viral after tweeting reimagined images of the ad, in which the young boy wore a crown. And H&M released multiple apologies, agreeing that the ad was offensive and that they’d reevaluate their ad approval process.
While it’s great that H&M acknowledges its mistake, it’s clear that there’s a bigger problem here than a breach in the advertising department’s chain of command. Not only does It seem that no people of color were involved in shooting the ad or approving it, but it also appears that all of the culturally competent white people were home sick that day as well.
“Monkey” has been used as a racial slur against black people since the early 1900s. Though the seeds had been planted long before. For any person of color, even if they were raised in a more racially accepting, modern community, it’s a known fact that the word, used in relation to race, is offensive. Any person of color serving as part of an advertising team, or working on a set, or sitting in a corporate boardroom, would have called this out before the ad went to print.
Yes, it’s awful that a beloved, wildly popular brand made such an embarrassing, abhorrent mistake. But the root cause for that mistake is what’s most troubling.
The fashion space, which prides itself on liberalism and inclusion, still has work to do when it comes to equitable representation. While more Black models are making a splash on runways around the globe last year. British Vogue appointed its first black editor-in-chief. These are promising starts, but the real change comes behind the scenes. Where are the people of color on the executive boards? Who are the people of color making the decisions on what gets sold and how it gets represented?
Indeed, it’s crucial for people of color to see their faces and skin tones reflected back in magazines, TV shows, movies, and runway shows. However, the decisions that truly impact them, the how not the who, are where we should focus. More diverse workplaces, in every industry and at every level, would’ve prevented something like this from happening.
Think back to Dove’s controversial commercial, in which a black woman uses their product and then removes her top and skin to reveal a white woman underneath. Dove’s intent was to tout the effectiveness of its product. But they sent another message—that dark skin was undesirable. Again, with a person of color involved in the decision-making process, that ad would’ve never made it to production.
As we move forward, we can’t just be outraged by the mistakes that have been made. We must attack the root cause and push for more diverse leaders and decision-makers. If we want true change, that’s everlasting and not just symbolic, it must penetrate the business. Not just give us better ads.
