We celebrate creativity in all its forms, yet there are boundaries that even the most inventive campaigns must not cross. Despite our appreciation for imaginative expression, the regrettable truth remains: fashion and lifestyle brands often err by insensitively capitalizing on sensitive issues. These missteps have continuously thrust upon us campaigns that are tone-deaf, exploiting societal dilemmas—from colorism and racism to gender biases, domestic turmoil, and even the horrors of war and violence.

Aamna Aqeel’s Be My Slave:

Unfortunately, our local brands might have jumped on this bandwagon too often to count. Aamna Aqeel’s fashion faux pas, back in 2013, stirred public controversy. In a print advertising campaign, a model dressed in the designer’s clothes is posing with a dark-skinned boy. If the images of the shoot weren’t enough to ignite your anger and make you uncomfortable, the title of the shoot, Be My Slave does the job. The photoshoot featured several images of the model showing her dominance over the child; in one image we see the child holding an umbrella over the model’s head while in another image the model is seen reading a magazine as the child sleeps on the floor. Simply put, it was racially insensitive and offensive.

Sana Safinaz’s Railway Station Shoot:

Another local instance that sparked controversy was Sana Safinaz’s fashion shoot at a railway station. The photoshoot featured the model, posing with three porters, and a Louis Vuitton bag at the railway station. Critics pointed out the glamorization of poverty, raising concerns about the exploitation of societal disparities for aesthetic purposes. The brand defended themselves, commenting that this was done to penetrate the masses.

If that faux pas did not teach the brand a lesson, the incident followed in 2018 might have done the job. Once again, Sana Safinaz was under fire for its lawn photoshoot, shot at the Masai Mara National Reserve in Kenya, featuring several tribesmen alongside a model. The images distinctly highlighted the power dynamics, reflecting the tribesmen to be inferior, reinforcing another poorly conceptualized photoshoot that was racist to say the least.

Sadly, on the global landscape, things haven’t been better…

Zara’s unremitting insensitivity:

Not a first-time offender, Zara once again managed to be in the limelight for all the wrong reasons. One might wonder why Zara repeatedly finds itself embroiled in controversy. It seems they firmly believe in the notion that bad publicity is still publicity. The recent incident that caused not only public outrage but also deeply troubled our hearts was the latest Zara photoshoot. In this campaign, a woman is seen holding a statue draped in white, resembling the ongoing conflict in Palestine. Moreover, the campaign featured mannequins with missing limbs, evoking imagery reminiscent of the current war scenario. Despite the backlash and criticism directed at Zara, the brand dismissed it as a misunderstanding, attributing the shot to an artistic expression. However, viewers, including ourselves, cannot simply disregard this disturbing portrayal of a genocide, even if Zara deems it merely an artistic endeavor.

We might have hoped to consider this as a one-time occurrence, giving them a margin for error, though frankly, they might not deserve that. Nevertheless, looking back to 2014, Zara faced criticism for retailing a children’s pajama top, which featured a yellow star, reminiscent of the Star of David worn by Jewish prisoners in Nazi Germany during the Holocaust. Zara once again faced public outcry and eventually removed the article from their stores.

This list can continue for a while. Let’s divert our attention to what other international brands have done over the years.

Bloomingdale’s accused of normalizing non-consensual behavior:

A public outcry followed Bloomingdale’s advertisement, featuring a sharply dressed man looking at a woman, who is laughing in the other direction. The ad read, “Spike your best friend’s eggnog when they’re not looking.” The implications of the ad had far-reaching effects as the ad was widely condemned for trivializing and normalizing non-consensual behavior.

Marks & Spencer’s Christmas advert controversy:

More recently, Marks & Spencer faced backlash for their Christmas advertisement campaign which showed red, green, and silver Christmas hats in a fire-gate. The caption read: “This Christmas, do only what you love... like saying no to paper hats (although, if we’re honest, we’re partial).” The color of the hats echoed those of the Palestine flag, which is green, red and white. A public outcry followed, accusing Marks & Spencer of propagating hate and their insensitive approach. The brand later offered an apology and removed the post.

Nivea’s “white is purity:

Nivea brand was accused following the release of its deodorant brand. The advertisement featured a woman, with a bold caption, “White is Purity”. The advert was released for the skincare brand’s Middle East audience, garnering instant backlash for promoting racism and colorism. In addition to an apology the ad was removed.

These collective incidents underscore a critical need for brands to be more mindful of their campaigns, which are witnessed by hundreds of thousands of people around the globe. While creativity deserves to be celebrated and expressed, it should never be done at the cost of harming others. Whether deliberate or unpremeditated, it is essential for brands to acknowledge their mistakes and embrace diversity in their campaigns, uphold ethical standards, and act as agents of positive social change rather than contributors to societal insensitivity.

These collective incidents underscore a critical need for brands to be more mindful of their campaigns, which are witnessed by hundreds of thousands of people around the globe. While creativity deserves to be celebrated and expressed, it should never be done at the cost of harming others. Whether deliberate or unpremeditated, it is essential for brands to acknowledge their mistakes and embrace diversity in their campaigns, uphold ethical standards, and act as agents of positive social change rather than contributors to societal insensitivity.