Commercial Racism: How Racism Appears in Advertising and Marketing

Commercial racism refers to the use, reinforcement, exploitation, or normalization of racial stereotypes and discrimination in advertising, branding, marketing, and other commercial communication. It can appear openly through offensive language and imagery, but it can also be subtle, such as repeatedly portraying one racial group in negative roles while presenting another group as more desirable, successful, or trustworthy.

Advertising has enormous cultural influence because people encounter commercials across television, websites, social media, billboards, apps, packaging, and entertainment. Research has found that even subtle racial imagery can reinforce negative stereotypes, making commercial racism an important issue for marketers and consumers alike.

What Is Commercial Racism?

Commercial racism occurs when race, ethnicity, skin color, or cultural identity becomes part of a marketing message in a discriminatory, stereotypical, exploitative, or demeaning way. The problem is not simply that an advertisement features people from different racial backgrounds. Inclusive advertising can be positive and meaningful. The concern arises when people are reduced to stereotypes or when racial differences are used carelessly to sell products.

For example, an advertisement might associate a racial group with criminality, poverty, laziness, lack of intelligence, or another negative characteristic. Another advertisement might present whiteness as the standard of beauty, cleanliness, professionalism, or social success. These messages can influence how audiences perceive themselves and other communities.

Commercial racism can also occur when companies use important racial movements or cultural experiences primarily as marketing opportunities. In such situations, the issue is sometimes described as the commercialization or commodification of racial identity. Scholars have examined how brands can use racialized bodies, voices, culture, and social issues to promote products.

How Racism Appears in Advertising

Commercial racism does not always look the same. Some examples are obvious, while others require viewers to consider the wider cultural context.

One common form is racial stereotyping. A stereotype assigns assumed characteristics to an entire racial or ethnic group. Advertising may use stereotypes because they are immediately recognizable, allowing a brand to communicate an idea quickly. However, reducing millions of different people to a single image can reinforce harmful assumptions. Research on advertising has specifically examined how subtle stereotypical imagery can influence racial perceptions.

Another form is unequal representation. If advertisements consistently show certain racial groups as executives, professionals, homeowners, or successful consumers while showing others only in secondary, comedic, or service roles, audiences may receive a distorted picture of society. Representation therefore involves not only who appears in an advertisement, but also how those people are portrayed.

Historical Stereotypes in Commercial Marketing

Racial stereotypes have a long history in commercial culture. Companies have historically used caricatures, exaggerated physical features, stereotypical accents, and racialized characters to make products memorable.

Some older advertisements may appear shocking to modern audiences because social standards have changed. However, understanding this history is important because many stereotypes did not disappear completely; instead, they sometimes became less obvious.

Modern advertising can reproduce similar ideas through casting, visual symbolism, humor, language, or assumptions about consumers. Academic research has suggested that subtle forms of racial bias may be particularly important because they can appear normal or harmless while still reinforcing existing stereotypes.

This is why commercial racism should not be evaluated only by asking whether an advertiser intentionally wanted to offend people. The cultural meaning and likely effect of an advertisement also matter.

Famous Controversies Involving Commercial Racism

Several major advertising controversies demonstrate how quickly a commercial message can become a public debate.

One widely discussed example was H&M’s 2018 children’s clothing advertisement, which showed a Black child wearing a hoodie containing the phrase “coolest monkey in the jungle.” The advertisement generated significant criticism because the historical use of “monkey” as a racist insult against Black people made the imagery particularly offensive. H&M removed the image and apologized.

Another example involved Pepsi’s 2017 advertisement featuring Kendall Jenner. The commercial depicted a protest-like environment and showed Jenner handing a police officer a can of Pepsi. Critics argued that the advertisement trivialized real racial-justice protests and used protest imagery to sell a soft drink. Pepsi subsequently withdrew the advertisement.

A separate controversy involved Dove in 2017, when a social-media advertisement showed a Black woman removing a brown shirt and appearing to transform into a white woman. The imagery was widely criticized as racially insensitive, and Dove apologized for the advertisement.

These cases demonstrate that an advertisement can become controversial even when a company does not publicly describe its intention as racist.

Cultural Appropriation and Commercial Racism

Commercial racism can overlap with cultural appropriation, particularly when companies take cultural symbols, language, fashion, music, or traditions from a racial or ethnic community and use them for profit without sufficient understanding or respect.

Using elements of another culture is not automatically racist. Cultural exchange has existed throughout history and can produce valuable creative work. The concern becomes stronger when a company profits from a culture while ignoring the people associated with it, turning cultural identity into a marketing costume, or using cultural elements in stereotypical ways.

There is also an important economic question. If a brand profits heavily from a community’s culture but provides little opportunity, representation, or economic benefit to members of that community, consumers may question whether the relationship is genuinely inclusive.

When Brands Use Anti-Racism to Sell Products

Commercial racism is not limited to explicitly offensive advertisements. There is also debate about brands using anti-racist messages as marketing strategies.

Companies increasingly create advertisements supporting diversity, equality, and racial justice. Such campaigns can contribute positively to public discussion, particularly when the company’s actions support its message. For example, advertising companies and media organizations have introduced diversity initiatives involving hiring, training, representation, and investment.

However, consumers may criticize a campaign when a company appears to use racial justice primarily to improve its public image. This creates a difficult distinction between meaningful corporate responsibility and performative advertising.

The key question is whether the message is supported by real behavior. A company promoting racial equality while maintaining discriminatory hiring practices or poor representation may face accusations of hypocrisy.

Why Commercial Racism Matters

Advertising does more than sell products. It helps shape ideas about beauty, success, identity, lifestyle, and social status. Because advertisements are repeated frequently, even small patterns can become familiar to audiences.

If one group is repeatedly portrayed negatively, those images can contribute to prejudice. Similarly, if another group is consistently associated with wealth, beauty, authority, or success, advertising may strengthen existing social hierarchies.

This does not mean that every advertisement containing racial differences causes racism. Context matters. The same visual element can have very different meanings depending on history, audience, language, and presentation. Advertising regulators recognize this complexity and often evaluate potentially offensive material according to factors such as context, medium, audience, and prevailing standards.

How Companies Can Avoid Commercial Racism

Businesses can take several practical steps to reduce racial bias in advertising.

First, marketing teams should include diverse perspectives during the creative process. A campaign developed by people with different cultural experiences is more likely to identify problematic assumptions before publication.

Second, companies should research cultural references carefully. Translating a slogan or using a cultural symbol without understanding its historical meaning can create unexpected problems.

Third, advertisements should be tested with representative audiences before launch. Feedback can reveal interpretations that the original creative team did not anticipate.

Fourth, companies should examine representation across their entire marketing strategy rather than focusing on one campaign. Diversity should involve casting, leadership, creative decision-making, storytelling, and partnerships.

Finally, brands should respond responsibly when mistakes occur. Removing problematic content, acknowledging the issue, listening to affected communities, and making meaningful changes can be more constructive than simply defending the original advertisement.

The Role of Consumers

Consumers also play an important role in challenging commercial racism. Social media has made it easier for people to criticize advertisements, share concerns, and demand accountability.

However, criticism is most effective when it identifies the specific problem rather than simply labeling an advertisement offensive. Explaining how an image, phrase, stereotype, or cultural reference creates harm can encourage more productive discussion.

Consumers can also support companies that demonstrate genuine commitment to inclusive representation. Purchasing decisions, public feedback, reviews, and social-media conversations can all influence how brands approach future campaigns.

The Future of Commercial Racism

The advertising industry is becoming increasingly diverse, but commercial racism has not simply disappeared. Instead, many discussions have shifted from obvious racial caricatures toward subtle stereotypes, representation, cultural appropriation, algorithmic targeting, and the commercialization of social movements.

Digital advertising introduces additional concerns because technology can allow marketers to target audiences based on demographic and behavioral characteristics. Targeted advertising can be useful, but critics have also raised concerns about algorithmic bias and the possibility of marginalizing particular groups.

The future of responsible advertising will therefore depend on more than avoiding offensive words or images. Brands will need to understand the cultural context of their messages, evaluate how audiences may interpret them, and connect advertising promises with genuine organizational practices.

Conclusion

Commercial racism is a complex issue that exists at the intersection of advertising, culture, business, and social identity. It can involve explicit racial discrimination, traditional stereotypes, unequal representation, cultural appropriation, or the commercial exploitation of racial-justice movements.

The most important lesson for businesses is that good intentions are not always enough. Advertising should be examined from multiple perspectives before it reaches the public. As consumers become more aware of representation and corporate responsibility, companies that treat racial diversity with care, respect, and authenticity are better positioned to build lasting trust.

Ultimately, effective advertising does not require racial stereotypes to make a product memorable. Creative campaigns can celebrate cultural diversity without reducing people to simplistic identities. By combining responsible storytelling with genuine inclusion, the advertising industry can become a stronger force for representation rather than a source of commercial racism.

Sources: ASA guidance on race and offensive advertising; academic research on subtle racial imagery in television advertising; Penn State media/advertising case studies; World Economic Forum coverage of systemic racism in media and advertising.