H&M’s blatant racism merits more than just a limp apology
As its ad showing a black child wearing monkey jumper sparks a global backlash, Ali Bullock calls on H&M's PR team to ditch its token statements and find a more meaningful response to an outraged audience
For anyone who hasn’t seen the H&M advert currently blowing up on social media, you can check it out here and here.
Bullock: “Racism isn’t something that you pick out as part of your routine check of an advert.”
Sometimes I open my laptop and wonder if some brands realise that it is 2018 or if they are still living in the 1950s. H&M has come under fire this week for what can only be considered the most racist advert of the year. Lest we forget, we are only 10 days into January and we already have a potential winner for this category.
The statement in usual PR fashion reads that H&M is “deeply sorry” and that “routines have not been followed properly.” Suggesting that they don’t understand the harm, anger and sadness that they have created through this advert. Racism isn’t something that you pick out as part of your routine check of an advert – well not for any company I have worked for that is.
Simply put, their standard PR response isn’t enough. In fact, what brands – and PR agencies – need to wake up to is that the world has changed and so the response needs to as well.
The PR response for what is blatant racism deserves more than an some limp apology on Twitter. And that apology needs to be aimed at the people affected and the wider audience in a meaningful way. So, my advice if I was the head of H&M communications:
Apologise. No excuses. Just an apology (on social media of course) and do this as quickly as possible. Respond to as many people as possible. Listen to the feedback, take on board what people are telling you
- Send all your employees or at least the ones directly responsible for this travesty to some diversity training. Look internally into the organisation, is this a symptom of something bigger inside the company? Was it really a one off mistake?
- Never let this happen again
Racism isn’t a joke. It’s a fundamental issue and sadly all to real in today’s world. We don’t need more hate, racism or misguided commercial advertising like this. We have enough in our feeds to last us all for a long time.
Social media has meant that something intended for UK audiences (as is the case with this example) can now be beamed to millions across the world. And while that may be a good thing to raise awareness at times, the ultimate problem is that unless we as consumers ensure that the H&M brand takes more than a a short term hit by not spending money in their stores, this will be written off as just one of those examples of “routines have not been followed properly.”
So consider this. Don’t go to H&M this week-end. Maybe put off buying this seasons must have item for one more week. What is the worst that could happen? it’s out of stock? For too many people, the racism we see in this advert will never go out of style, and that is something we should be ashamed of, H&M consumers or not.
Ali Bullock is the head of innovation and strategy at Hong Kong-based start-up HABBITZZ
I don’t understand why we all have to adhere to the standards of American culture and communication. Only in American culture the word “monkey” is used as an offensive expression for black people. In most other countries monkey is just monkey – nothing more than that. Furthermore, what’s annoying in this article is the incorrect assumption that H&M is a racist company that wanted to show how racist they are. Do you actually believe this? Is there anyone from H&M who has stated something racist like this? Stop the witch hunt.
ReplyThat’s entirely not true, monkey chanting at black people can be heard in football stadiums across Europe, including the UK.
It’s a well-publicised issue, so the context of this should be understood.. it’s a hurtful slur, Everton Luiz recently left the field crying after 90 minutes of abuse recently, many black football stars have spoken out about it, FIFA, UEFA and the FA are constantly being asked to do more to stamp it out.
To that end, the very lack of awareness that this is a problem slur, even if innocent lack of awareness, remains an issue. It must have been seen by multiple people who didn’t stop to think.
Maybe they can donate to Kick It Out if they mean their apology.. a ‘sorreee..’ press release doesn’t really cut it.
ReplyThanks Henry for your comment. Needless to stay I agree with your thoughts.
ReplyHi Vladmir.
Thank you for the comment. I’m British (not American) and cannot say where this racial slur started from but I can assure you that it is racist. Heard at football matches, on the streets etc.
There is no assumption that they wanted to be racist but all organisations need to be aware of cultural diversity and it seems to me that H&M is not.
ReplySorry, the notion that is “blatant racism” rather than an incredibly bad piece of judgement is blatantly ridiculous. It implies that the juxtaposition of model and hoodie in this image was both knowing and intentional. Even the most “outraged” among us out there surely don’t believe that?
Also, what is the difference between an “apology” and a “limp apology”.
ReplyI’m sorry you didn’t like my article.
(That is a limp apology. And in case you missed it, that means the person writing this doesn’t give a shit what you think.)
Reply… Agreed.
Racism is racism. We simply can’t put it as anything else.
ReplyFirst of all, as a self-proclaimed marketing practitioner, you don’t seem to understand the difference between an “advert” and a product photo.
Secondly, if you’ve ever been at a set for fashion catalogue or product shooting, you should know that even for a smaller label it’s often a full mess during production. Same goes for post-production and tens of thousands of photo selection and approval.
I’m not an H&M fan and I never shop there, but it’s not really fair, and almost too easy, to just call a big brand racist. It would really be stupid of them to do that on purpose. So I do think they are wrong for not being careful and sensitive on talent and photo selection, but I don’t think you should take this opportunity to make it sound more intentional than it is (1950s, lol).
ReplyCan’t agree more.
ReplyHi Tom.
An advert is something that involves selling something. A product photo describes said item.
Check out my profile on LinkedIn. I’ve worked for multiple global brands (quite successfully for them I might add.) So while I might not describe myself as a marketing practitioner (I prefer expert for the record,) racism is still racism…
ReplyIt’s important to understand the difference between structural racism and bigotry (prejudicial acts). Racism is built-in to society, it’s doesn’t have to be “on purpose” out-and-out bigotry. And there’s a long history or othering people of colour with dehumanising names. Defending this tone-deaf nonsense as a “full mess” is rather missing the point. It is blatant racism precisely because no one in H&M gave it a second though: true, it’s not the 1950’s. All the more reason that it’s so disappointing. Thought it was used as an ad though, albeit a programmatic/specific product one?
ReplyFair point.
It is blatant racism.
ReplyThe only good piece of positive social change Ali Bullock has achieved is getting the other Ali transferred to a desert posting.
But this is bollocks.
The term cheeky monkey has been used to describe mischievous/cute kids all the time. I use it on mine.
I guess if black people call their kids monkey, then it will all be fine.
What a crock of shit…all these SJW’s just trying to score points on social media.
ReplyHi.
I agree that cheeky monkey is something that many have said, including me about kids. No issue there.
For me, the issue is using “monkey” and a black child. It stinks of racism to me, but more importantly a lack of diversity in H&M overall.
ReplySo a white, brown, yellow kid can be a monkey (because kids monkey around) but a black kid cannot!? You need to publish a rule book for the rest of us humans mate. All the do’s and don’ts as seen by YOU.
ReplyIn all honesty, I think the main issue is that there is not enough diversity at the top in H&M. If there were, somebody would have pointed this out even before the campaign was launched!
ReplyAgree 100% – Someone, anyone should have pointed this out when they saw it. It was literally the first thing I thought when I saw it.
And I suspect that we are not the only ones to think this.
ReplyMaybe the real racists are the ones that think as black kid wearing a hoodie that says both ‘monkey’ and ‘jungle’ on it are the racists?
I think the do gooders and self proclaimed diversity angels are reading too much into this. It could have quite easily been another word and someone, somewhere would’ve found a racist/anti diversity link to it.
I can’t call a kid a monkey now or ask a girl out at work for fear of being outed as a predatorial racist.
Lighten up people. Political correctness is going ‘even’ more nazi (oh no prejudice to Germans now) than it did in the early 2000’s.
Reply***SPOILER ALERT***
Sorry to ruin the ending for you my anonymous “anti-pc” chum, but it turns out that the ACTUAL Nazis WERE the real Nazis all along.
Replyhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DYDPNkWxdsw
Bet Bullock would like to speak up on their behalf.
Liberals are the very antithesis of the word.
ReplyWeird! Can’t see your liberal strawman in the video: must be hiding behind the large crowd of angry black South-Africans protesting over thoughtless corporate racism in a country where they represent 79% of the entire population.
ReplyWhat if, just if, the reason this ad/photo got produced and got through H&M’s approval processes, is that no one at H&M saw a black kid, but just a kid, irrespective of race, creed or colour? Where then does the racism lie?
ReplyThis. I had to look at this image twice to get your outrage and then I was not sure until comment section. Don’t live in UK/US, not familiar with ‘football’ culture. I get how brands probably should be aware of racist ‘memes’, doesn’t make this picture racist though, at worst you could accuse them of being naive.
Replyhey – we call kids ‘little monkey’ all the time. Its ridiculous to call it blatant racism. People are just getting onto this bandwagon without understanding this. Americans are anyway super sensitive on issues of race and don’t get it. Friends in South Africa aren’t upset at all, its a few malicious people who are stoking that fire! Grow up people, its 2018.
ReplyHi Aaron? Can you give a wee bit more context as to who the “we” is in your comment. If you’re a person on colour, cool. It’s your right to comment as to whether YOU find it racist or not. Your voice is far more important in this than any number of white people like me. But if you’re NOT, well sorry to say but you’re thinking like a racist. Because you see this wasn’t a white kid being called a cheeky monkey by white people. It was a black kid labelled a monkey by white people. LITERALLY labeled. Simianisation of people of colour has a long, sorry history. I’ll have a read of this if you’re interested
Replyhttps://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/9345322
Mike, I’m not ‘white’ but refuse to be called a person of colour. that’s racist. What are white people? Persons of no colour? There’s a big difference between the ‘simianisation of the Obamas’ as the Fluff Post puts it and calling a kid ‘the coolest monkey in the jungle’. White people have to stop feeling guilty for all the havoc their ancestors have wreaked on this earth. And stop deciding what is and isn’t racist, until you’ve walked a mile in my skin.
Replywell, person of colour is an attempt to be polite and inclusive “The term encompasses all non-white peoples, emphasizing common experiences of systemic racism*.” It’s not racist, but apologies if it comes across that way, and you are offended by the term. *https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Person_of_color
ReplySo if you let me know which term you prefer to frame your ethnic background, i’m happy to use it.
I’m interested in the “big difference” you cite between the simianisation of the obamas and the simianisation of a black kid. Could you elaborate as there’s clearly some nuance i’m missing?
Also, its not “white guilt” acknowledging that structural and systemic disadvantages remain if you’re not white. That’s just a fact. I don’t feel guilty. But i’m aware.
Oh, and sorry last comment was anonymous by mistake. Always happy to be identified.
ReplyHave your say