What inspires us to purchase items? To attend events or even see a movie? Advertisements have long been the vehicle to influence the masses of what’s popular, trendy and new. It may not always be focused but ads surely send a message. As with all messages, sometimes its intended purpose gets misconstrued in the delivery. This has managed to be the case with many popular companies who have received backlash for their ads.
Towards the end of 2017, Dove found itself in the middle of a PR nightmare. The advertisement showed a black woman in a brown shirt using Dove soap to get clean, which resulted in her becoming a white woman with a white shirt. Due to the social media backlash, the super brand immediately apologized for their insensitivity and negative portrayal. Of course, by then it was too late as the damaged had already been done. Granted the companies intentions may not have been racists, but given the history of ads in our country, the perception was accurate. Another brand, Nivea found themselves in the same boat with their “white is purity” advertisement. Once again the company had to apologize, stating "That image was inappropriate and not reflective of our values as a company. We deeply apologize for that."
Historical context has shown us that racism within ads has been a long-standing issue says DW writer Suzanne Cords. Dark skin has been considered dirty while white skin is the pinnacle of beauty and cleanliness. Ads such as those from Nivea and Dove perpetuate that stereotype 100- years later, but now with more consequence. But is an apology enough to alleviate the issue of prejudice and racism in ads across the world?
At the top of the year global brand, H&M released an ad showcasing children’s wear. The ad showed a dark-skinned boy wearing a green hoodie that said “coolest monkey in the jungle.” The internet quickly went into an uproar, boycotting the brand due to its overt and insensitive perception of black and brown children. Stores in South Africa were trashed and subsequently closed due to backlash from offended customers. Even with an issued apology, many still are not interested in shopping with the affordable international brand. Due to online shopping and the power of commerce, it isn’t hard to hit a company where it will be truly affected, its wallet.
Companies such as Shea Moisture, whose target demographic was the natural hair community faced the backlash of its own after being bought out by Unilever, the same powerhouse behind Dove. With an all-inclusive commercial for its products and a change in formula, loyal customers within the African-American community felt abandoned and betrayed. A decrease in sales showed the brand how important loyalty and representation mattered.
A longtime issue within the advertising world, overt and even subliminal racism within ads has perpetuated negative stereotypes about various minority groups. The one question that always seems to come to mind when faced with these ads is, of all the people who saw this ad… who would approve it? Granted the marketing, advertising, public relations, creative directors, photographers, etc… see the ad before it is released to the public, someone surely has to be able to see the potential issues. At least that’s what consumers think. The lack of diversity and inclusion within these brands allows for ads that are racially charged to get the green light, thus having to be apologized for at a later date. Even those who are minorities within those spaces feel uneasy about speaking up for fear of losing their job or being “that” person.
There are far too many brands to name having found themselves in the doghouse for their racially insensitive ads. Surely bringing more diversity and representation into the boardrooms will alleviate the need to issue an apology in the long run.
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