Current Events > H&M apologizes after clueless racist ad

(+) Yeah! (+)

https://www.seattletimes.com/business/hm-apologizes-after-racism-charges-in-monkey-sweatshirt-row/

Clothing giant H&M has apologized and removed an advertising image of a black model in a sweatshirt with the words Coolest monkey in the jungle.

The brand removed the image, but kept in place other designs modeled by white children.

U.K. Labour Party lawmaker Kate Osamor tweeted that she was totally shocked, dismayed to say the very least by the image and, addressing H&M, asked do you think this imagery is an appropriate representation of a young black boy?

The retailer said Monday that the image has now been removed from all H&M channels and we sincerely apologize to anyone this may have offended.

Not really sure how not one person had the sense to say something before this was posted online.
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When I see things like this, I figure either they are so not racist that they never even think about things like that so it never occurred to them, or someone did it intentionally.

I choose to believe the former.
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lmao wow
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Wow
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To be fair that kid does look pretty fucking cool
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*tugging collar* Yeesh
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People need to get away from being outraged over things that very likely don't have racist intent. It's pretty common for parents to call their kids to monkeys if they're being rambunctious or climbing on things. I call my cat a monkey sometimes and he's orange and white.
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eston posted...

To be fair that kid does look pretty fucking cool

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emblem boy posted...

eston posted...

To be fair that kid does look pretty fucking cool

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DifferentialEquation posted...

People need to get away from being outraged over things that very likely don't have racist intent. It's pretty common for parents to call their kids to monkeys if they're being rambunctious or climbing on things. I call my cat a monkey sometimes and he's orange and white.

You're smarter than t...

Actually, never mind.
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On the one hand, I get how it could be construed as offensive. On the other, kids really fucking love monkeys. Should no black kid ever pose with any monkey related paraphernalia?
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COVxy posted...

Should no black kid ever pose with any monkey related paraphernalia?

Nope that's a job they don't get to have now. Historic racism needs to prevent them from certain jobs . . . for . . . reasons?
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For some reason this reminded me of the dude talking about when his 3rd grade teacher took the class on a cotton picking field trip
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Another matter of calm down and get educated.

https://placeit.net/c/apparel/?search=Hoodie%20child

This is the result of whats called a mock-up. In reality the kid (model) was wearing a white blank hoodie. To populate the images for the ads/store the appropriate color and graphics/logos are added in post. No one pays a model to try on 30 different shirts.

The process was probably even automated: heres model A wearing configuration B. Boom it goes on the product page that matches with B. And even if its not automated, whoever is putting these together is trying to get the pipeline done, not wondering if any single combination is offensive to someone.
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CableZL posted...

For some reason this reminded me of the dude talking about when his 3rd grade teacher took the class on a cotton picking field trip

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PToqVW4n86U

@CableZL
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Who the fuck refers to their child as the coolest monkey in the jungle? What does that even mean?
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Sada_Pop posted...

DifferentialEquation posted...

People need to get away from being outraged over things that very likely don't have racist intent. It's pretty common for parents to call their kids to monkeys if they're being rambunctious or climbing on things. I call my cat a monkey sometimes and he's orange and white.

You're smarter than t...

Actually, never mind.

Why should we let some old and outdated insult dictate our current standards and upset us so much? Maybe if people today actually still used it as way to insult black people then you'd at least have an argument. And "monkey" itself is not a hateful word; it's not a slur where its sole purpose is to demonize a group of people.
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DifferentialEquation posted...

People need to get away from being outraged over things that very likely don't have racist intent. It's pretty common for parents to call their kids to monkeys if they're being rambunctious or climbing on things. I call my cat a monkey sometimes and he's orange and white.

So are you saying that kid was being rambunctious and possibly climbing on things, therefore, they made him wear that shirt?

Suddenly, it's not racism anymore, rather public humiliation.
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DifferentialEquation posted...

Maybe if people today actually still used it as way to insult black people then you'd at least have an argument.

They do.
That said, unless it's being used as an insult, people need to not take it as one.
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DifferentialEquation posted...

Maybe if people today actually still used it as way to insult black people then you'd at least have an argument

And most sheltered child award goes to...
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I know people who just always call kids monkeys for some reason.

Still a big company should just realize "nope."
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Anarchy_Juiblex posted...

DifferentialEquation posted...

Maybe if people today actually still used it as way to insult black people then you'd at least have an argument.

They do.

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CapnMuffin posted...

Another matter of calm down and get educated.

https://placeit.net/c/apparel/?search=Hoodie%20child

This is the result of whats called a mock-up. In reality the kid (model) was wearing a white blank hoodie. To populate the images for the ads/store the appropriate color and graphics/logos are added in post. No one pays a model to try on 30 different shirts.

The process was probably even automated: heres model A wearing configuration B. Boom it goes on the product page that matches with B. And even if its not automated, whoever is putting these together is trying to get the pipeline done, not wondering if any single combination is offensive to someone.

Stop that "sense" stuff. There's perfectly good outrage to use.
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KStateKing17 posted...

Who the fuck refers to their child as the coolest monkey in the jungle? What does that even mean?

This is probably the best statement ITT
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gmanthebest posted...

CapnMuffin posted...

Another matter of calm down and get educated.

https://placeit.net/c/apparel/?search=Hoodie%20child

This is the result of whats called a mock-up. In reality the kid (model) was wearing a white blank hoodie. To populate the images for the ads/store the appropriate color and graphics/logos are added in post. No one pays a model to try on 30 different shirts.

The process was probably even automated: heres model A wearing configuration B. Boom it goes on the product page that matches with B. And even if its not automated, whoever is putting these together is trying to get the pipeline done, not wondering if any single combination is offensive to someone.

Stop that "sense" stuff. There's perfectly good outrage to use.

Someone still OK'd that specific model to be used on their site
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its easy to spot the real racists itt

automatically assuming monkeys being racist
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justaguy3492 posted...

DifferentialEquation posted...

Maybe if people today actually still used it as way to insult black people then you'd at least have an argument

And most sheltered child award goes to...

you're giving him the exact reaction that he wants. insulting him means he's winning.
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I cannot believe nobody said anything...

What the actual fuck?
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Lmao
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Blue_Inigo posted...

gmanthebest posted...

CapnMuffin posted...

Another matter of calm down and get educated.

https://placeit.net/c/apparel/?search=Hoodie%20child

This is the result of whats called a mock-up. In reality the kid (model) was wearing a white blank hoodie. To populate the images for the ads/store the appropriate color and graphics/logos are added in post. No one pays a model to try on 30 different shirts.

The process was probably even automated: heres model A wearing configuration B. Boom it goes on the product page that matches with B. And even if its not automated, whoever is putting these together is trying to get the pipeline done, not wondering if any single combination is offensive to someone.

Stop that "sense" stuff. There's perfectly good outrage to use.

Someone still OK'd that specific model to be used on their site

Are you saying theres a reason to not use him?
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justaguy3492 posted...

DifferentialEquation posted...

Maybe if people today actually still used it as way to insult black people then you'd at least have an argument

And most sheltered child award goes to...

Ushiromiya posted...

Anarchy_Juiblex posted...

DifferentialEquation posted...

Maybe if people today actually still used it as way to insult black people then you'd at least have an argument.

They do.

So how about this? Are you going to stop using the word "orange" just because some bigots use it inappropriately to insult Trump?

Would you be okay with me demanding that you no longer order orange juice when you're at restaurant and other things like that? Or does context matter?
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DifferentialEquation posted...

So how about this? Are you going to stop using the word "orange" just because some bigots use it inappropriately to insult Trump?

Would you be okay with me demanding that you no longer order orange juice when you're at restaurant and other things like that? Or does context matter?

I'm upset this topic ended here (so far...)
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Rofl


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The Weeknd ended his clothing line in disgust.

Cant say I blame him
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H&M can fucking burn in hell, as do most global clothing companies. Nothing to do with ad's, and i don't understand how that racist ad is even priority of people. Hey nevermind that incidents like Rana plaza happens pretty much because H&M and rest of those pos companies, no big deal, but if they dare to say anything bad about minorities then we have a problem. Human life < Racism.
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Bandit_Keith posted...

When I see things like this, I figure either they are so not racist that they never even think about things like that so it never occurred to them, or someone did it intentionally.

I choose to believe the former.

this so much this, I don't know why people are making a huge deal about it.
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AvantgardeAClue posted...

The Weeknd ended his clothing line in disgust.

Cant say I blame him

That sounds a bit extreme over something that clearly wasn't intentional.
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The Admiral posted...

AvantgardeAClue posted...

The Weeknd ended his clothing line in disgust.

Cant say I blame him

That sounds a bit extreme over something that clearly wasn't intentional.

My cynical side tells me it's PR related, i.e. he doesn't want to come across like an "uncle tom" for siding with a company recently involved in a scandal like this.

His comment:
Over the past months I was genuinely excited about launching my upcoming line and collaboration with @HM... Unfortunately, after seeing the disturbing image yesterday, my excitement over our global campaign quickly evaporated, and I've decided at this time our partnership needs to end. Whether an oblivious oversight or not, it's truly sad and disturbing that in 2018, something so racially and culturally insensitive could pass by the eyes of so many (stylist, photographer, creative and marketing teams) and be deemed acceptable. I can't allow for my name and brand to be associated with a company that could let this happen. I hope that this situation will serve as the wake up call that H&M and other companies need to get on track and become racially and culturally aware, as well as more diverse at every level.
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Thrillwell posted...

KStateKing17 posted...

Who the fuck refers to their child as the coolest monkey in the jungle? What does that even mean?

This is probably the best statement ITT

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KStateKing17 posted...

Who the fuck refers to their child as the coolest monkey in the jungle? What does that even mean?

If I'm not mistaken it's a UK design and referring to your child as a cheeky monkey is pretty ubiquitous here. Still a very bad oversight.
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I don't shop there so its easy for me to boycott!
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How that picture ever made it that far into production, let alone even got cleared in today's climate, I will never know.
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SavenForever posted...

How that picture ever made it that far into production, let alone even got cleared in today's climate, I will never know.

I have some experience in the process here, and with the sheer number of items they'd go through in their stock it'd be a case of everybody involved in the production line just zoning out. You have 500 clothing items to photograph this week, are you going to read the print on every one and think about it critically? Eventually it just becomes a blur of colours and shapes.

Add to this that because quite a few people are involved it can become unclear who's responsibility it is. The uploader would have just been checking for cropping and assumed the photos has been cleared creatively. photographer would assume everything is fine because it was given for them to photograph. The printers would assume it was fine because they were handed the design. The creatives would assume it was fine because they received the brief. Whoever designed it...well, maybe they didn't imagine it being put on a black kid. There'd be a few people who should have thought about it but often it just becomes a situation where everybody assumes it's somebody else's responsibility to handle more intangible stuff like this.

Not excusing it, but just throwing out some thoughts on how it can happen. The more people involved, the less anyone actually takes control.
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eston posted...

To be fair that kid does look pretty fucking cool

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DifferentialEquation posted...

So how about this? Are you going to stop using the word "orange" just because some bigots use it inappropriately to insult Trump?

Would you be okay with me demanding that you no longer order orange juice when you're at restaurant and other things like that? Or does context matter?

I'd like an answer to this.
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