*On April 29, Old Navy sent racists worldwide into an unanticipated frenzy. By simply offering customers a 30 percent discount in a tweet that featured an interracial family, the small gesture set Twitter and the racially-insensitive ablaze. Comments on the offer showcasing a white father, black mother and their mixed-race child included remarks ranging from “Absolutely disgusting. What’s next? Gender neutral bathrooms? Pedophilia acceptance propaganda!? Never shopping here again” to angry demands such as “Stop promoting miscegenation or else I’m taking my $$$ elsewhere.”
In contrast, many positive comments in support of Old Navy’s tweet were also posted, like “Hey @Old Navy, my family and I thank you for the diversity in this ad! #LoveWins, no matter what color” from one father alongside a photo of his own interracial family, and another supporter’s post reading “@OldNavy Props on this ad! My family and I appreciate it. #RepresentationMatters”
Negative feedback spurring from advertisements showcasing interracial relationships is nothing new. For instance, in 2013, when Cheerios unveiled a commercial starring a black father, a white mother and their child; the campaign’s comments section was eventually pulled due to extreme racist backlash on YouTube.
According to Adweek, the comment section was filled “with references to Nazis, ‘troglodytes’ and ‘racial genocide,’” prior to the comments closure. While some YouTube trolls expressed shock at a hands-on black father, others commented to have found the ad “disgusting” or stated that it made them “want to vomit.”
The ad’s gorgeous model mom, Grace Mahary’s took to Instagram to respond to the post’s feedback with: “In light of the controversy revolving around my pretend family … I am proud to be representing interracial love, multiculturalism, and most importantly, a mentality that supports opportunity for all ethnicities. Thanks @oldnavy #lovewins #hatefreezone.”
As of this posting, Old Navy has not commented on the controversy.
@OldNavy Absolutely disgusting. What’s next? Gender neutral bathrooms? Pedophilia acceptance propaganda?! Never shopping here again.
— M (@RousetheMasses) April 30, 2016
RT @BellaDashwood:”.@OldNavy Stop promoting miscegenation or else I’m taking my $$$ elsewhere!!!” pic.twitter.com/5veSqsR6GW
— Polaroid White ️ (@BurberryArmrest) May 1, 2016
Hey @OldNavy, my family and I thank you for the diversity in this ad! #LoveWins, no matter the color ️ pic.twitter.com/TjgYUPMGu4
— KHARY PENEBAKER (@kharyp) May 1, 2016
Hey Old Navy, love your new ad! I don’t shop there regularly but will definitely be going this week! #lovewins pic.twitter.com/iDohUc7pmy
— Deirdre (@deirdreshavon) May 2, 2016
@StacyLeMelle @merstew @kharyp @OldNavy my daughters and I salute Old Navy! pic.twitter.com/b7FPfCfS1k
— Leftfielder™ (@DaleMoss2) May 2, 2016
.@kharyp @OldNavy Thank You Old Navy! Interracial families are beautiful and we appreciate the representation! pic.twitter.com/kVNuGHfAB9
— Noelle Devoe (@Noelle_CD) May 2, 2016
Source: US Magazine
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