This is an ad I came across the other day for super cute little boys hoodies.
I have to admit though, it feels like it’s playing into one big giant stereotype: urban, hip-hop, attitude-having black male, etc.
I wish he was at least smiling ~ he’s a kid. Maybe it’s not such a big deal, but I had a gutteral negative reaction when I saw it.
On second glance I noticed the word “rad,” which is NOT a common word typically used in the black community which lead me to believe these hoodies are being marketed to white kids (or at least not to the black community)… which produced even more uncomfortability with it.
(I wish I could remember where the picture was at on the internet but it was quite some time ago).
Too sensitive or right on the money?
What do you think?
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
Grace, I hope you don’t mind I took the liberty of doing some google searching because I was intrigued and wanted to get more context. By the looks of the adds I think you are probably right that they are marketing mostly to white kids (or their parents on their behalf): http://tiny.cc/rkp2w
As far as using the word rad in the add it makes sense I think if they are targeting the parents, the ones with the money and the ones who would remember mixtapes “from the 70′s to the late 90′s.”
But I can’t help but think “mixtape” it is meant to conjure up for the kids the in vogue use of the term mixtape that is ubiquitous in hip hop right now. If so, then it may be a somewhat dishonest add but is smart marketing: sell it to the parents as a cute flashback that kids wont understand and have the kids ask for it because they just downloaded little wayne’s newest mixtape and think the parents wont understand.
I might be even more concerned/curious about motive for using the word mojo on children’s clothing with its current sexual connotation and its historical connotation of a magic voodoo charm???
I don’t think I can give a strait yes or no answer as to whether it offends me or not. Something about the add seems disingenuous but when I saw the hoodies my first though was I want to order one for Liam (though I probably wont). But I did make mixtapes for girls I liked in the 80′s and 90′s and I recently downloaded my favorite rapper’s newest “mixtape” online
Wayne is right. There’s something “off” about the ad here. Maybe it is because the kid isn’t smiling. AND, if they are selling these clothes to white parents, why do the ad-makers feel the need to use a biracial/black child to convey a feeling of toughness? It’s an unnecessary stereotype.