H&M’s Advertisement: Coolest Monkey in the Jungle

Case Study Proposal
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Case Study Proposal
Introduction and Overview
One of the biggest issues the world has had to face is racism. African Americans and Africans, in general, have had numerous experiences that happen to remind them of the atrocities that Europeans committed. Adverts, political leaders’ speeches, and even movies have often reminded people of color that they are less than human. The use of certain words, phrases, or slurs has left many wounded because of the constant reminder that one is less. In 2018, the world’s attention was drawn to H&M’s advertisement involving a young boy named Liam Mango. In the advert, H&M was advertising a green hoodie through the young boy, and even though this is standard practice, it is the writing on the young boy’s hoodie that caused a lot of people to call out H&M. The writing on the hoodie said “coolest monkey in the jungle,” and even though this seems like a harmless statement, many people, especially people of color, felt offended by the company’s actions. Famous people, including musicians like The Weekend, issued statements condemning the actions of the fashion brand (Stack, 2018). H&M was quick to counter the backlash and said that it was also in shock because its protocols were not followed and that the garment would be removed from its product lines worldwide (Stack, 2018). Further, H&M added that the fashion brand believes in and values diversity and inclusion and that it had started investigations to ensure there would never be a repeat of the same (Thomas, 2018).
H&M’s case is not isolated because there have been such issues all over the world. However, why was this a major issue, and how does it fit within the larger context of this assignment? First, the writing made use of the word ‘monkey,’ which has been a derogatory term that racist Europeans used to refer to Africans in the past. Secondly, the use of the term ‘monkey’ and having the hoodie be advertised by an African child. Such a combination spells ignorance or neglect on the part of H&M, a company that currently stands at $183.361 billion in market capitalization (Yahoo Finance, 2022). The error made was indeed a case of negligence. This case is directly associated with the perceptual context. Perceptual context mainly denotes the viewpoints that people share over something. These viewpoints are often influenced by one’s experiences, and therefore, for this particular case, H&M’s actions led to widespread backlash, especially from Africans because of their racist background. So, by using H&M’s case, this paper seeks to showcase the connection between the company’s actions and the backlash that followed to perceptual context. Aside from making a connection, this paper will showcase how H&M’s actions and the reactions that followed typify perceptual context.
Perceptual Context
Perceptual context denotes how people take in information, their interpretation of the same information, and their response to the same information (Neuliep, 2021). This context is heavily influenced by one’s surroundings, culture, cultural history, and current events. Through this context, one is able to understand how an event in the world would elicit different reactions from different people. For example, the war between Russia and Ukraine is seen and propagated as a major crisis in the world, with some civilians even offering a helping hand to Ukraine. However, for a person who comes from a country that has been at war for a long time, the Russia vs Ukraine war may elicit stronger reactions, and he/she may not want to be involved in the war in any capacity. Such a reaction is mainly influenced by what this person has seen or has experienced throughout their life. Further, such a person is likely to frown upon countries and people who speak passionately about war because he/she understands war and its impacts better. The example above aptly captures perceptual context as it showcases how an experience of something can lead to different reactions and approaches to something.
In the case at hand, H&M’s actions may be seen as less harmful or be termed as normal by some people. In fact, Mango’s mother did not see anything wrong with the wording in the hoodie (Miller, 2018). She told those who felt offended to “stop crying wolf all the time, unnecessary issue here…get over it.” Aside from the mother, others who saw nothing wrong with the hoodie took it as an opportunity to sell similar products on eBay (Roberts, 2018). These reactions are not ignorant, but they are influenced by the perceptions of the people behind them. For the most part, African Americans and Africans, in general, have been subjected to racism through different avenues. However, not all African Americans or Africans have experienced racism or experience it in the same way, and this can influence one’s interpretation of H&M’s case. For Mango’s mother, maybe she has dealt with racism, but not in the same way as the people who responded or reacted to the advertisement. In the U.S., the use of racist, demeaning, or derogatory words was and still is a form of racism, and this can explain the reaction of famous people like LeBron James. Therefore, H&M’s case is a perfect fit for perceptual context and how people’s histories, cultures, and experiences can influence interpretations.
Literature Review
Different companies in the world have been found guilty of subtle racial discrimination through advertisements or marketing campaigns. As indicated by Petty et al. (2003), racism in the world continues to become more overt. The researchers note that racism is currently less “explicitly verbalized,” but this does not mean that it is not happening. As the world becomes more complex, racism is also morphing with the changing systems. Today, there are numerous ways in which “subconscious levels of racism” are displayed (Petty et al., 2003). These levels mainly lead to what the researchers call ‘naturalized representations,’ and these form people’s perceptions of the world and people around them. Through advertisements, companies can continue to subtly communicate racial stereotypes and racially discriminate against parts of society with little to no action taken by the government. What these companies help to champion are racially biased beliefs that somehow become grounded all the more, regardless of the efforts to try and fight the problem. In the case at hand, H&M’s advert was subtle yet incredibly offensive. Shabbir et al. (2014) refer to this type of racism as subliminal racism, and they indicate that this type often “operates below the threshold of awareness.” For such an advert, it takes one with a keen eye and contextual or perceptual knowledge to discover the message being relayed.
In marketing, the target audience is a key aspect that determines the approach taken when it comes to developing advertisements and marketing campaigns. Today, it has become relatively easier for companies and platforms to discriminate against certain people. With the advent of numerous advertising platforms, it has become increasingly easier for subtle racism to continue unperturbed. For example, Facebook has been accused of allowing users to discriminate against certain audiences on its ad platform. According to Zang (2021), by using Facebook’s algorithms, users can group their target audiences and have their adverts reach a select group of people. In this article, Zang details how users can, for example, limit a job advertisement to people from a particular community or individuals with whom one shares certain attributes. H&M’s advertisement, especially with the abovementioned phrase, is a subtle statement to particular groups of people.
Aside from the above, while it is a welcoming sight for H&M to make use of a child of African descent in its advertisement, the way in which the child has been used also brings about undertones of inferiority. In the context of race, the term ‘monkey’ has often been used to demean Africans in general. Africans, including African Americans, have a different understanding or take on the term because of past experiences. The use of such a subtle racist element confirms the inferiority sensitivity or view still propagated today (Bristor, Lee, & Hunt, 1995). The propagation of such helps to maintain a status quo that is flawed in attitudes, opinions, and feelings. As is indicated by Sutton et al. (2007), without careful consideration, these attitudes, opinions, and feelings can be developed and passed to future generations with the danger of becoming the standard upon which such generations view and judge each other. By subtly promoting the aspect of white superiority, H&M happens to further racial attitudes maintained by a section of the world. By influencing perception, H&M and other major companies can easily avoid having to explain their actions through the justification that can emanate from other causes.
Perceptual context mainly entails how people perceive the world around them. It is mainly informed by the experiences one has had and how these have helped shape one’s mindset and view of the world. For centuries, Africans have been on the receiving end regarding their perceived inferiority. Different words and actions have been used with different reactions. H&M’s actions, while some may find them harmless, spell retrogression because they happen to reinforce beliefs that have long shaped society. However, for such a company, it is crucial to recognize that different groups have different experiences, and these shape reactions (Carter & Murphy, 2015). For Africans, being black came with certain experiences whose scars have lasted centuries. The interpretation and reaction to current matters are greatly shaped and influenced by these experiences. Therefore, while conducting an advert, H&M and other fashion brands ought to take into perspective the impact their choices have on people. The insensitivity showcased by H&M through the advert speaks volumes regarding the state of society that continually appears to consider Africans inferior. Such covert racism, Coates (2008) indicates, could lead to a missed opportunity or the adoption of a measure that will perennially hurt a group of people. Covert racism remains one of the biggest issues in the world today. H&M was not the first, and neither will it be the last organization to conduct such an advert. The constant reminder of the existence of two separate races through covert or subtle racism has continually helped to carry forward the flaws of society today. Therefore, while there may not be any visible or perceived light at the end of the tunnel, the changing attitudes, feelings, and opinions of new generations promise a better future.
The world will remain divided on many topics and issues because of perceptual context. Experiences, cultures, historical backgrounds, and current events will continue to shape how people view the world and their position in the world. Something as monumental as the war between Russia and Ukraine has managed to showcase the differences in opinion that the world holds. The H&M case is not any different because while some will see a major flaw in the company, others will see a green hoodie. Shebilske (1984) aptly captures it when he notes that the appearance of something and its meaning are a result of someone’s conditioning and circumstances. He continues to provide an example by using the moon illusion context effect, noting that the moon happens to appear smaller when it is at its most grand, however, he notes that it appears larger and closer when it is indeed far. In the same way, racism will remain a perception topic, and because of their circumstances, surrounding, and past experiences, Africans will be the first ones to detect even the seemingly harmless racist gestures. In their article, Jackson et al. (2014) question the idea of dehumanizing black children and how this impacts the perception towards this lot. From the study, the researchers discovered that black children are seen as older than their white counterparts. Further, the research revealed that often, black children are perceived as less innocent and, therefore, likely to be arrested even when they are not in the wrong (Jackson et al., 2014). These actions by the authorities are a result of perceptions concerning black children, and in the end, these perceptions influence responses, reactions, and interpretations of events. On the other hand, for people of African descent, these activities and actions often increase their sensitivity towards identifying racist activities, remarks, and words. The sentiment above is echoed by Hite (2006), whose research revealed that people of color are highly likely to perceive racism compared to their White counterparts. The same case applies to the H&M case. The people who respo...