H&M removes controversial ad and issues apology

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The H&M Group, one of world’s leading fashion companies removed a controversial advertisement from its website and issued an apology to those offended, CNN Money reported on Monday.

“This image has now been removed from all H&M channels and we apologize to anyone this may have offended,” CNN quoted H&M spokesperson Anna Eriksson as saying.

The controversial green top. /Screenshot

The advertisement which appeared on the fashion retailer's British website was for a series of three hooded tops.

Two of the series featured images of animals and were modeled by white children, while one, featuring the slogan “coolest monkey in the jungle”, was modeled by a black child.

Since the ad appeared online, social media users have questioned H&M's intention with the campaign, with some accusing the company of racism.

The other two tops from the series. /Screenshot

“So why the black kid had to wear the shirt saying coolest monkey in the jungle and the white kid's shirt said something totally different? H&M knew what they were doing!” Dwaine Williams posted on Facebook.

“In the year 2018 there’s no way brands/art directors can be this negligent and lack awareness…We have to do better,” Alex Medina, a designer posted on Twitter.

The Dove's controversial ad. /Weibo Photo

H&M is not the first company to find itself in hot water over advertising campaigns with racist overtones.

In October last year, toiletries company Dove was forced to apologize for one of its adverts that showed a looping image of a black woman removing a brown T-shirt to reveal a white woman.

The China's detergent ad. /Weibo Photo

While in May 2016, a Chinese detergent company was slammed and forced to apologize after it launched a TV ad showing an African man being forced into a washing machine and emerging with paler skin.