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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think skin colour matters WAY more than people like to admit

454 replies

daysayso · 07/09/2022 22:22

I am involved in marketing campaigns - I won't say what because it's outing but let's say I recently worked on a campaign where the service being provided had absolutely nothing to do with race (so it wasn't makeup or hair for example).

Yet the vast majority that responded were people of colour (Same as the person featured in the ad) and it made me think how much your life chances are still dictated by your skin colour.

People like to consider race more than they like to admit even in spaces where it has nothing to do with anything, people just seem to feel more 'comfortable' with their own.

I felt for the first time in a long time my success will in part depend on my skin colour because for whatever reason the majority of white people that saw this ad decided it wasn't for them on the basis I'm someone of colour.

Please no arguments I'm looking for a mature conversation and if you find the topic sensitive you need not respond

Just looking for others experiences really

OP posts:
GoodVibesHere · 07/09/2022 22:28

It's unconcious bias, we all do it.

lljkk · 07/09/2022 22:32

are you saying it was a "life chance" thing to try to obtain the good you were marketing?

Original poster
daysayso · 07/09/2022 22:34

@lljkk I'm not sure what you mean

OP posts:
Original poster
daysayso · 07/09/2022 22:34

@GoodVibesHere yes exactly my point but noone seems to want to admit it certainly not IRL or in public

OP posts:
eldora · 07/09/2022 22:36

Yet the vast majority that responded were people of colour (Same as the person featured in the ad) and it made me think how much your life chances are still dictated by your skin colour.

I don’t understand what this means.

Luredbyapomegranate · 07/09/2022 22:37

I think it’s impossible to say without having a clearer idea of what it was.

You might be right of course, but there are many different reasons why a service might appeal to a particular section of the population

Anxietyriddenx · 07/09/2022 22:38

What’s a person of ‘colour’?
do you mean black?
please use non racist terminology

AnneLovesGilbert · 07/09/2022 22:39

You could give an

Countingdowntodecember · 07/09/2022 22:39

I think you’re right. Studies have shown that babies as young as three months old show a preference for people of their own race. That’s why we can’t rely on the idea that children don’t see race and, instead, need to actively teach anti racism from a young age.

Cw112 · 07/09/2022 22:39

I think this is really true. I was talking with my youth group about this recently because it had come up how many movies and adverts etc they had seen recently that featured casts mainly made up of people of colour and they felt excluded by it. So then we had a much longer talk about the importance of representation and how many movies and adverts they had seen by comparison that were made up of mainly white people. So definitely it's got a much bigger impact than people recognise and I think a lot of people are afraid to recognise that in themselves for fear for coming across badly which is worse in itself.

ChiefWiggumsBoy · 07/09/2022 22:40

eldora · 07/09/2022 22:36

Yet the vast majority that responded were people of colour (Same as the person featured in the ad) and it made me think how much your life chances are still dictated by your skin colour.

I don’t understand what this means.

I think she means representation is important. If you see someone who looks like you represented in a particular situation, whether that's college, workplace, skiing brochure, you're more likely to think that yes, that's for you.

mackthepony · 07/09/2022 22:40

Yup agreed.

People buy what they identify with

MsPincher · 07/09/2022 22:40

Race isn’t just about skin colour though. In my race/ country of origin there is. Variety of skin colours but we are all one race.

Aretheyhavingalaugh · 07/09/2022 22:41

Yes I agree, I think people in general care about skin colour for some reason unknown to me. We're all going through the hard times ATM so I don't know why people have to throw race or skin colour into the mix. It really isn't a competition and it isn't something you have any control over. Skin colour shouldn't define your success but unfortunately in this day and age it seems to matter. I am a white British female, I didn't get a choice in the matter, I can't decide to be a Chinese man tomorrow so you just have to accept what colour skin you have. We're all part of the same species. In 100,000 years, if they look at our bones, they would know we were both humans and really not much else.

AnneLovesGilbert · 07/09/2022 22:41

You could give an idea of what you’re talking about without being specific.

Do mean you’re offering a mortgage advice service, campaign has a black man in his 40s in the ad and most people who got in touch about it were black men in their 40s?

Or have I got the wrong end of the stick?

rnsaslkih · 07/09/2022 22:41

It’s really difficult to say without knowing what it is, but your ad attracted people who looked like the person in the ad. Isn’t that how ads are supposed to work? People either consider themselves to be like the person in the ad or they might want to be like that person?

MsPincher · 07/09/2022 22:42

ChiefWiggumsBoy · 07/09/2022 22:40

I think she means representation is important. If you see someone who looks like you represented in a particular situation, whether that's college, workplace, skiing brochure, you're more likely to think that yes, that's for you.

Show quote history

Broadly I think that’s right but there are other things I might also identify with people - eg a fellow woman, mum, etc

ChiefWiggumsBoy · 07/09/2022 22:43

Oh yes of course.

Sarah0611 · 07/09/2022 22:43

Anxietyriddenx · 07/09/2022 22:38

What’s a person of ‘colour’?
do you mean black?
please use non racist terminology

Is this racist? I use person of Colour a lot and had no idea this was racist? Not an argument. Hoping to be educated as I wouldn’t want to offend

Sarah0611 · 07/09/2022 22:44

Aretheyhavingalaugh · 07/09/2022 22:41

Yes I agree, I think people in general care about skin colour for some reason unknown to me. We're all going through the hard times ATM so I don't know why people have to throw race or skin colour into the mix. It really isn't a competition and it isn't something you have any control over. Skin colour shouldn't define your success but unfortunately in this day and age it seems to matter. I am a white British female, I didn't get a choice in the matter, I can't decide to be a Chinese man tomorrow so you just have to accept what colour skin you have. We're all part of the same species. In 100,000 years, if they look at our bones, they would know we were both humans and really not much else.

I agree with this 100%.

BeachTree · 07/09/2022 22:44

Anxietyriddenx · 07/09/2022 22:38

What’s a person of ‘colour’?
do you mean black?
please use non racist terminology

is person of colour now not an acceptable thing to say? why not? Why do you presume OP 'meant' black specifically?

iwannabea · 07/09/2022 22:46

Aretheyhavingalaugh · 07/09/2022 22:41

Yes I agree, I think people in general care about skin colour for some reason unknown to me. We're all going through the hard times ATM so I don't know why people have to throw race or skin colour into the mix. It really isn't a competition and it isn't something you have any control over. Skin colour shouldn't define your success but unfortunately in this day and age it seems to matter. I am a white British female, I didn't get a choice in the matter, I can't decide to be a Chinese man tomorrow so you just have to accept what colour skin you have. We're all part of the same species. In 100,000 years, if they look at our bones, they would know we were both humans and really not much else.

let me guess, you ‘don’t see colour’ right? 🙄

eldora · 07/09/2022 22:47

ChiefWiggumsBoy · 07/09/2022 22:40

I think she means representation is important. If you see someone who looks like you represented in a particular situation, whether that's college, workplace, skiing brochure, you're more likely to think that yes, that's for you.

Show quote history

I agree representation matters (I’m Asian), I just don’t understand why more people of colour (rather than white people) responded to a marketing campaign that wasn’t about make-up or hair. I think I’m missing something, but I suspect I will agree with OP once I get it!

Sarah0611 · 07/09/2022 22:47

BeachTree · 07/09/2022 22:44

is person of colour now not an acceptable thing to say? why not? Why do you presume OP 'meant' black specifically?

Show quote history

My point too. I thought person of colour was acceptable?

Oblomov22 · 07/09/2022 22:48

@Anxietyriddenx

I didn't think it was racist?

The term “people of colour” is an American import and is used to describe everybody that is not white.
The term is considered to be inclusive and politically correct.