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Original poster

Would you consider this racist? H&M advert

999 replies

BornInSydneyy · 08/01/2018 21:12

A young black boy wearing a jumper that says -

“Coolest monkey in the jungle”

I genuinely can’t understand how anyone thought that was acceptable.

OP posts:
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10
MotherofaSurvivor · 09/01/2018 09:41

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C8H10N4O2 · 09/01/2018 09:44

The racism on this thread reflects a lot of the everyday racism people live with in the UK. Casual assumptions and ignorance with dollops of wilful assumptions and faux ignorance.

For all those of you saying "it wasn't meant to be racist" or "H&M are not racist" - how do you know?

Have you spoken to the advertisers?
Do you know all the people running and influencing the organisation?
Or are you just assuming it without one shred of evidence?

A company in 2017 in Europe, from enlightened Sweden puts a white child in an "expert" top, alongside a black child in a "monkey" top?
And all the merchandisers, advertisers, stylists, marketeers etc don't notice?
Or the do notice and don't care?

Or they calculate that a bit of racism will bring more publicity than a faux apology costs?

Lets not forget the founder of H&M either.

BatShite · 09/01/2018 09:44

Extremely badly judged IMO. Whoever made that decision is clearly an ignorant arse. A boy chosing that top for himself when shopping, obviously fine. A huge company putting him in it for advertising without thinking of anything else..not fine.

Though I am another who will say when its not out and out racism that is clear to see, I think as a white person my opinion on it is pretty moot.

C8H10N4O2 · 09/01/2018 09:46

Whoever made that decision is clearly an ignorant arse

The point is it isn't one stupid person. Huge numbers of people would have been involved in that campaign including the senior parts of the organisation. No retailer releases global campaigns without discussion at board level.

Now imagine being black if you were considering looking for a job or promotion in a company like that.

Gilead · 09/01/2018 09:46

Come on, just get over it and get on with your day!
WTAF!
How dare you tell the victims of racism to just get over it! Angry
How dare you marginalise people in such a manner.
Just get over your racism, and if you think you're not racist, think again because that remark is racist.

NotACleverName · 09/01/2018 09:46

I know which category I fall into!!

Is it the wilfully ignorant category, the category that wants to ignore the fact that black footballers are still subjected to monkey noises and have bananas thrown at them in the 2010s?

Goldenhandshake · 09/01/2018 09:47

All those claiming monkey is just a term of endearment/affection, tell that to Danny Alves, who had a banana thrown at him on the football pitch. Monkey is a current racial slur against black people, you cannot claim otherwise. You are wrong.

surferjet · 09/01/2018 09:48

I wouldn’t mind so much but the boy looks about 10 - well past the ‘little monkey’ phase. I don’t know what H&M were thinking but the fact that they’ve apologised means they weren’t thinking?
But it has opened a debate about racist terms & what we can do to address them. I mean it’s impossible to never include a black child in anything to do with monkeys - I’m sure I’ve heard of a nursery called little monkeys, would black parents feel uncomfortable sending their child there? Are black children never allowed to pretend they’re a monkey at school? Are teachers told this? If we continue to tiptoe around this issue then yes, the racists have won.
What do we do?

AppleTrayBake · 09/01/2018 09:48

*MotherofaSurvivor
I know which category I fall into!! *

I think we all do.

user1497863568 · 09/01/2018 09:48

I used to get called a monkey and I'm nit black, I'm Irish. I think it's offensive.

IMightMentionGriddlebone · 09/01/2018 09:49

If the kid had been white would we be having this discussion. As I said above, this seems more about whether it is wrong to do things that might remind some people of racist, rather than this being racist in itself.

No, we wouldn't, because no-one jeers 'go back to the jungle' at white kids, no-one makes monkey noises at white kids, and no-one calls them 'monkey' with anything other than affection. It therefore isn't a problem if a clothes company publishes pictures of a white kid with '[...] monkey in the jungle' emblazoned on their chest. Because it is not a racist insult applied to white people, and so cannot look like the company is doing it deliberately, or is unaware of modern forms of racism.

Gilead · 09/01/2018 09:50

If the kid had been white would we be having this discussion. As I said above, this seems more about whether it is wrong to do things that might remind some people of racist, rather than this being racist in itself.
But the fact is that the child was not and by not discussing it, we would be marginalising it. It is still happening, every week on football pitches, every week in schools across the country.

Flypaperforarseholes · 09/01/2018 09:51

Having never been subjected to racism, it's not up to me, or anyone else who hasn't experienced it first hand, to decide what is or isn't racially offensive. Would I have thought it was offensive? No, I dont think so. Do I now think it's offensive? Yes. Because it HAS offended so many people. If I accidentally offended someone, I would accept that they are offended and apologise.

I would like to believe that this was a lapse in judgement in H&M's part and no malice was intended. If so, they should apologise profusely and unreservedly to anyone offended and make a donation to an appropriate charity.

Flypaperforarseholes · 09/01/2018 09:52

And remove the picture from their advertising, obviously.

Rosewatersoap · 09/01/2018 09:53

irvineoneohone it's one thing to teach your child to cope with racism he or she will, note not might, experience as they go through life.

However here is a multinational conglomerate with pissed off stakeholder as their personal pockets are negatively affected by this stupid and insensitive ad so even if you can't see anything wrong with the term 'monkey' for a black child in your private family context are you not able to see that a large organisation needs to be much more aware and sensitive to such things?

Rosewatersoap · 09/01/2018 09:56

What do we do?

We stop telling black people what is and isn't racist. That would be a good start. Would you want men telling women what is and isn't sexist?

Inthenightmoon · 09/01/2018 09:56

@MotherofaSurvivor
How ignorant and rude of you!
Would you like someone to tell you "just get over it" because your daughters dad doesn't want to know her.

Would you like somebody to turn around and say oh i know he's not bothered about her and he's not bothered about seeing her but just get over it?

BatShite · 09/01/2018 09:56

However if we where discussing rape, sexual harassment there would not be the same kind of reaction.

Discuss rape or sexual harassment anywhere bar the feminism forum the thread quickly fills up with 'NAMALT' 'women do it too' 'they are just being friendly' (about harassment, clearly) 'the rates are equal, just men don't report it' and so on.

spiritofadventure · 09/01/2018 09:57

Oh for fuck sake. Things like this make so so angry!

I see no racist intent beind the ad whatsoever, just a cute kid in slogan hoodie.

Had H&M used a white child wearing the same hoodie, nobody would have batted an eyelid.

And before people feel the need to explain racism too me, being mixed race, I fully understand!

Flypaperforarseholes · 09/01/2018 09:59

That's sounds like a bloody good place to start, Rosewater!

CabernetSauvignyoni · 09/01/2018 09:59

The easiest way to kill off any malice is to embrace it and it loses its power. Words and phrases are only offensive if someone reacts.

There we go. Any black people that are offended by being called a monkey just need to get over it. Just accept it. Take your feelings and your history and shove them all the way down. Because that's how we stop racism. Ignoring it and hoping it goes away Hmm

user789653241 · 09/01/2018 10:01

Rose, no I am not saying there's nothing wrong at all. And I totally agree they needs to be aware.
But I do also want my child to grow up not get offended by everything it may have racist meaning behind it.

Rosewatersoap · 09/01/2018 10:02

"I see no racist intent beind the ad whatsoever, just a cute kid in slogan hoodie."

Maybe there was, maybe there wasn't.

The OP doesn't say there was.

However in terms of global marketing communications it's a massive fuck up, so no it wasn't acceptable. As can be seen by the public backlash.

Twofishfingers · 09/01/2018 10:02

At a time where monkey chants are still being shouted at Black football players in stadiums in this country and in Europe, I think that the jumper itself is in bad taste and yes, I do find it offensive. Call me a snowflake, I don't care. It's just plain wrong, in my mind. It's not even grey.

Gilead · 09/01/2018 10:03

I see no racist intent beind the ad whatsoever, just a cute kid in slogan hoodie.
And therein lies the problem.

And before people feel the need to explain racism too me, being mixed race, I fully understand!
You very obviously don't.