“We Really F-ed This One Up” SheaMoisture Issues A Public Apology For Controversial Video Campaign

So I literally just posted about the latest controversy surrounding a recent SheaMoisture advertisement. You can read about it HERE and watch the video below as the brand has since pulled the video from their social media

The brand has since issued a public apology via their social media page:

Wow, okay – so guys, listen, we really f-ed this one up. Please know that our intention was not – and would never be – to disrespect our community, and as such, we are pulling this piece immediately because it does not represent what we intended to communicate. You guys know that we have always stood for inclusion in beauty and have always fought for our community and given them credit for not just building our business but for shifting the beauty landscape. So, the feedback we are seeing here brings to light a very important point. While this campaign included several different videos showing different ethnicities and hair types to demonstrate the breadth and depth of each individual’s hair journey, we must absolutely ensure moving forward that our community is well-represented in each one so that the women who have led this movement never feel that their hair journey is minimized in any way. We are keenly aware of the journey that WOC face – and our work will continue to serve as the inspiration for work like the Perception Institute’s Good Hair Study/Implicit Association Test that suggests that a majority of people, regardless of race and gender, hold some bias towards women of color based on their textured or natural hair. So, you’re right. We are different – and we should know better.

Thank you all, as always, for the honest and candid feedback. We hear you. We’re listening. We appreciate you. We count on you. And we’re always here for you. Thank you, #SheaFam, for being there for us, even when we make mistakes. Here’s to growing and building together…

Some folks are still mad though:
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Others were more forgiving:

 What do you think? Sound off below!

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12 Comments

  1. how can i get SHEA MOISTURE in New Zealand??? I saw it here once in a salon but it was $NZ70!! can we get it any cheaper from anywhere else??

  2. Shonda casey says:

    Considering this is one of many commercial s that they claim to have , I can not really be judgmental. I guess I am less sensitive when it comes to racial matters as I get older than other people. After all they did show two different hair textures , and at the end of the commercial showed people of different skin tones and hair textures.. I would have more of a problem with it they had shown only white people,nor only Hispanic people. I was introduced to this product being for PEOPLE with natural curly or natural hair, not just one particular race . When you think about it this whole race thing is just dumb. Hair does not have a race , I have met white people as well as people who hispanic who’s hair is just as kinky and curly as mine, and I would not have a problem with them using this product. By the way I really love this product, it work for my hair which has two different types of textures, I pray this company can over come this foolishness with some peaple being so sensitive, and that this does not curtail the sales or distribution of this product in any way.

  3. Seeing as Shea Moisture’s origins are based off natural hair care for kinky and curly textures (from the little blurb on all their products), I would assume their latest commercial would atleast have a kinkier textured person in the forefront, and I didnt see any of that till the very end of the ad. I also agree with Shonda, it probably went though a lot of editing and someone should have called the issue out. This kind of complacency makes the ad seem very intentional and makes the apology sound far-fetched. As K.DOT says in ELEMENT. , “I don’t do this for the gram, I do this for compton”. So it all depends on what the company really cares about and who they really want to serve. I accept the apology cause we all be making all kinds of mistakes out here, but I’m now thinking twice about buying some of their products.

  4. A lot of the people who see zero issues with this have not been supporting the brand for YEARS. It’s core customer base was African American women. It was because of their support and loyalty that the brand was able to expand and branch into new communities and avenues. No one has an issue with you attracting new customers but there is a correct way to do things and an incorrect way to do things. If you have to alienate one core group of people that are the reason you’re on the map at all, it’s probably not the best route to take.

    Brand loyalty is a two way street. The same way my following may be loyal to me I must be loyal to it. And as I take on new owners and investors and launch new campaigns I MUST remain cognizant of the philosophy and ideals that started this whole thing, that attracted and built my brand in the first place. You cannot build an empire on the backs of black women and then suddenly “accidentally” forget them in your moves. As quickly as a base and following can be built, it can be lost too. There’s WAY too much competition out here to be that forgetful.

  5. Marriam Khalid says:

    I think that I don’t want to see a commercial advertising Caucasian women with limp oily dirty looking hair ever again. That’s no a good look. We all have different hair needs. Don’t do Cristi lime that!

  6. Christina says:

    I will never use that shit again. Truth is we’d be better using white products any way being they stole everything from us including hair care products!! I remember when You did the deal & you told me not to worry!!! Well that was a lie!!!

  7. ShawnTe Pierce says:

    They probably will be making many apologies as the company becomes more inclusive to broaden its consumer base. There will be growing pains with this. I kinda feel like for at least the first five years of this they should handle diversity in campaigns like most non-black owned companies do. You rarely see more than 1 or 2 of us in hair ads unless the hair product is made for afro textured hair. Shea Moisture should follow the same model in reverse. Truly, we are the main ones who snatch up their products. They cannot forget the core clientele because a new clientele is taking an interest in the brand. Plus I hate to say it, the new clientele will be fickle especially with brands like Not Your Mothers trying to get in on the scene with a naturals line. They can’t do what is happening/has happened with Carol’s Daughter by pushing out products that no longer work the same for kinky textures like they used to because changes were made to make the products work for less coily types. (I’m still mad the complete Tui Collection is gone).

  8. That apology was an insult to your customers. Try again SheaMoisture and this time replace the profanity with the truth.

  9. A lot of thought goes into an ad champaign…many people are involed….it seems like the company is ran by a lot of thoughtless insensitive people….that’s only thinking about the success of their company, and not the people that helped them get there….It’s very unfortunate that they are out of touch with why they have their success..and it has taken this slap in the face to remind them…

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