Recently, clothing retailer H&M ran an advertisement in which a black boy is depicted wearing a sweatshirt reading “Coolest Monkey in the Jungle.” The ad caused immediate upset among loyal customers and led to a social media storm.
Though H&M is a Swedish-based clothing retailer, it has more than 500 locations across the U.S. In the past, H&M has utilized diverse groups of people in its ads to show the versatility of its clothing line. For it to turn a blind eye to the implications of the current ad has irreparably damaged its business.
A company selling clothes all over the world should not have customers questioning its moral standards. H&M surprised millions of its U.S. customers with the insensitive ad. Because H&M is a worldwide company, it should take care to ensure its advertisements are respectful and accommodating toward all its customers. 
Many Twitter users have expressed a strong discomfort with this. Twitter user Karamo Brown tweeted, “This is disgusting & irresponsible. You know the history of [racism] and using the term ‘monkey’ to demean people of African descent.”
Other celebrity sponsors have also decided to distance themselves from the company for such negligence. Following the incident, celebrities like The Weeknd and Lebron James chose to end their contracts and relations with the clothing company. With regards to the ad, The Weeknd tweeted, “Woke up this morning shocked and embarrassed by this photo. I’m deeply offended and will not be working with @hm anymore…” 
When influential celebrities start to take notice and cut ties with your company, you know you messed up, big time.
H&M made a careless mistake and paid the price for it. Despite this, its ethics should not be questioned. By most accounts, H&M is not a racist or prejudice company. It’s  guilty of carelessness, not contempt. The designers and producers of the advertisement were negligent in running the ad and were most likely unaware of the implications.
H&M is a European-based company where racism is not as hot-button of an issue as it is in America. Some simple background research could have easily presented this mishap. The advertisers were irresponsible in their thinking. When sharing a product with the whole world, companies must consider what others will think and how they will view it.
Twitter user The King Center said it best: “Every company should invest in training that encompasses cultural competency and sensitivity. It is absolutely necessary.”
To make matters worse, the mother of the child wearing the offensive hoodie told the public to just “Get over it” in a series of deleted Facebook posts, according to New York Post. This is an astonishing announcement, but it’s amazing what money can do to people. Remorse will never be felt for the H&M franchise.
The company released a public apology, but it came across as insincere. Many believe H&M didn’t do enough in the wake of the incident. It appears that it is taking a heavy subject and trying to make it seem as if it’s not a big deal. Though H&M removed the ad, the problem is far from over. When companies use offensive advertisements and careless marketing strategies, nobody wins.
Kiana Naquin is a 20-year-old English sophomore from Baton Rouge, Louisiana.