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One product, different perspectives
The issue of race tends to be a sensitive issue in our current world. Individuals tend to be sensitive when it comes to issues that they feel are oppressive and intimidating to them or others. It becomes important for companies to consider issues regarding diversity when it comes to content and the concept of a product. A product that contains two perspectives is that of an African American boy wearing a sweater with the words “Coolest monkey in the jungle” by the H&M Company. The positive perspective associated with the image and the product is that it implies the cheekiness of children and their playful nature and hence using the term “monkey”. Putting on the sweater then implies looking good and hence making a child the “Coolest Monkey in the Jungle”.
However, from a racial point of view, the use of a Black model with the concept presents an issue of bias and racism. This is as per the history of racism and slavery which still affects the black community in regard to how the term “monkey” was used and possibly still being used to refer to the community by the stereotypes. If the advertisement had included a Caucasian or any other child with a skin color different from black, then the sense behind the advertisement may have been understood. This explains why when H&M released the advertisement online, there was plenty of outrage on social media sites. Possibly, the company’s intention was to imply the playfulness.

However, using the child was a wrong strategy. According to an article by Lindsey Bever in the Washington Post, having a Black child put on a sweatshirt with the phrase “Coolest Monkey in the Jungle” and a white child put on a sweatshirt with the phrase “survival expert” indicated racism (Bever). From an individual perspective, the advertisement is a good example that illustrates one product with positive and negative perspectives.

Work Cited
Bever, Lindsey. “H&M apologizes for ad featuring Black child wearing ‘monkey in the jungle’ sweatshirt.” The Washington Post, 2017. https://www.thestar.com/business/2018/01/08/hm-apologizes-for-ad-featuring-black-child-wearing-monkey-in-the-jungle-sweatshirt.html