Advertising has huge power to shape perceptions, culture and conversation. But when done without cultural awareness or sensitivity even the best intentioned campaigns can go horribly wrong. In 2024 several big brands found themselves in hot water over racist adverts that perpetuated harmful racial stereotypes, with widespread backlash. From tone deaf to unintentionally offensive, these racist adverts showed just how important inclusivity and mindfulness is in modern advertising. In this post we look at three of those ads – Heinz Pasta Sauce, Heinz Ketchup ‘Joker’ and H&M’s children’s clothing ad – and the controversy that surrounded them.
1. Heinz Pasta Sauce Campaign
A London ad featured a newlywed interracial couple with the Black bride’s father missing from the picture, perpetuating negative stereotypes about Black family structures. A wedding with a diverse cast, an interracial couple. The bride was Black, the groom was white. The scene was the wedding reception and the family dynamics. It was a playful mismatch between the families’ cultures and food choices. But no bride’s father and subtle undertones in the dialogue inadvertently perpetuated stereotypes about Black families and caused a huge backlash. People hated the ad for being tone deaf and reinforcing harmful racial stereotypes. Despite Heinz’s intention to be inclusive, they failed.
2. Heinz Ketchup 'Joker' Campaign
An edgy campaign to show the versatility of Heinz ketchup. People were shown in playful scenarios with ketchup on their mouths, like the Joker’s grin. While meant to be funny, one image of a Black man was heavily criticized for looking like minstrel blackface, an offensive historical stereotype.
The imagery was insensitive and culturally tone deaf. Critics said Heinz didn’t recognize the racial undertones of the design. The ad is a lesson on why you need to review your content through a cultural lens.
3. H&M Ad
This H&M ad for kids clothing featured a Black boy in a hoodie with the slogan “Coolest Monkey in the Jungle”. The idea was to show trendy, fun kids clothing but it evoked racist stereotypes about Black people.
The ad was called racist and culturally tone deaf. Critics said there was no oversight in pairing the slogan with the child’s image. H&M apologized but it reignited the conversation about racism in advertising and corporate accountability.
2024 has shown us why brands need to be culturally aware and have robust review processes. These mistakes damage the brand and perpetuate stereotypes. We still have a long way to go to create inclusive ads.
Wrap Up: 2024's Most Tone-Deaf Racist Adverts
So there you see. Culture matters in branding and marketing. Creativity and innovation are important but never at the expense of respect. Mishaps of 2024, including racist adverts that promoted stereotypical and insulting content, serve as critical lessons for brands moving forward. Indeed, the new landscape of advertisement will continue, and these experiences from 2024 will go a long way in teaching them to be considerate, empathetic, and inclusive toward their message while ensuring it communicates well with world audiences. For a deeper look at impactful campaigns done right, check out our blog on the most effective ads in the Philippines.
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