“Heinz Faces Backlash: Controversial Ad Dismisses Black Culture Days After Fatherhood Debate!”
Blackface was a practice in which Black people were mocked for the entertainment of white people, and negative stereotypes were promoted across the US and Europe, as per the BBC.
“I woke up to this new Heinz campaign on of my group chats asking “Is it me, or is that borderline Blackface? HOW? IN THE NAME OF 2024, HOW?” Andre Gray, chief creative officer at Annex88 wrote in a viral LinkedIn post on Monday (October 7).
Andre continued: “How are we still lacking the diverse teams and cultural competency to have the semiotics of our imagery properly scrutinized BEFORE it gets out in the world?
“From agency to client, to production, to media…. no one said, maybe we should move this away from minstrel show and Blackface connotations????”
A minstrel show was a type of American theater that featured white performers in blackface makeup who used caricatures of African Americans to entertain audiences.
The shows were popular in the mid-19th century and included song, dance, tall tales, and stand-up comedy.
Andre’s posts sparked divided reactions as a LinkedIn user commented: “My unpopular opinion in this case, is that I think the Heinz ad lacks the critical implications to be considered Blackface.”
Amid the UK currently observing Black History Month, the insensitive ads continued to ignite negative reactions
Someone else penned: “Disgusting. I hope every single layer of people involved acknowledges their bias and takes accountability.”
Others pointed to Gut New York, the creative agency behind “Heinz Smiles,” sharing photographs of their visibly diverse team of employees.
