Video Credit: Haitian Sensation
There have been a number of complaints made by the natural hair community after Shea Moisture released a new commercial introducing new cultures and faces to their ad. The commercial, encouraging comfort with one’s natural hair, displayed three women who gave their testimonies on having natural hair. What became controversial was the fact that, Shea Moisture only included one women of color in the ad. The rest of the women were Caucasian. Shea Moisture is a natural hair company that’s consumers are predominately Black.
In the past, the company has only used women of African and Latin descent, to properly advertise the products. The men and women in past advertisements also had natural hair textures that varied from 3B to 4C. After the release of the new ad, the company immediately received pushback from the natural hair community. The community took to social media stating their concerns about Shea Moisture straying away from their original mission. The advertisement was perceived as excluding women of color and of certain hair textures from a brand that they have so heavily supported. Members of the natural hair community chose to “cancel” Shea Moisture, stating that it felt like the brand was conforming to European beauty standards.
After receiving the backlash, Shae Moisture released a very public apology explaining that the ad was not created to leave out women of color. The ad was simply Shea Moistures way of diversifying their advertisements while adding in the opinions of women who are also apart of their audience. The companies CEO also spoke about this issue on multiple television and radio platforms.
Video Credit: Roland S. Martin
Much like the issues that were discuss in The Natural Hair Industry Building Inclusivity and Diversity article, the natural hair community pointed out the issue of brands changing their mission or excluding certain groups because of complaints made by other cultures. “We do not have an issue with sharing what’s ours as long as other cultures understand that the natural hair industry, movement, and community was created for Black women,” said Shaunice White while discussing diversity and Inclusion in the natural hair industry. The natural hair community is challenging natural hair brands to find a way to create inclusivity without taking away from the group the industry was created by and for.