Shea Moisture's Big Blunder
So, an ad recently came out for Shea Moisture. Shea Moisture is a beauty company that's supposed to cater to a specific type of woman. Mainly black women and/or women with curly/kinky textured hair. You know, the kind of woman who usually can't find many products that help her hair stay healthy and keep it's original texture intact. Well, people are extremely upset about this new ad, as a quick search through Twitter will show you.
There seems to be a few people who don't understand the upset, so I'm here to give a quick explanation just in case the reason for the anger went over your head.
Shea Moisture, when it first was created, was a company made for and by black women to cater to black women. Their products were made to maintain and protect that easily damaged texture of black hair so that women of color wouldn't have to fall to try and change or damage their hair by using straightening products like relaxers or get weaves if they did not want to. They're one of the major companies that people go to when they go on a natural hair journey. That's how well known they are in the black community. So when an ad comes out that features one women of color and the rest of the women are white women talking about "Hair hate" and how they came to terms with loving their hair, you can see why black women would be upset.
One: It's rare for a white woman to face little to any hate or discrimination towards their hair texture. It's almost laughable to even think about a white woman complaining about such a thing because their beauty is seen as the standard in society. Two: Women of color has seen this song and dance play out before. It's a clear sign that Shea Moisture is looking to expand and by expand drop their old clientele for a new demographic that's more mainstream and therefore more white. This is nothing against white women, it's just that when companies that usually cater to black women starts looking to appease and charm white women they tend to leave us behind and box us out. Like you'll see looking through the commentary in response to the new Shea Moisture ad, there's fear of reformulation. Which means that Shea Moisture products may not work for black women as well as it used to, if at all. Thereby pushing black women out of the buyer field entirely.
This is a perfect example of black buyers being seen as not good enough and not worth catering to in the long run. Perhaps because our money isn't worth as much in a money hungry society. A lot of the times, with expansion comes abandonment. It's a fear that's based in experience and facts. Don't be so quick to write people off as overreacting and throwing a fit.
But if Shea Moisture is no longer a fit for you there are plenty of companies worth checking out.
Cantu
As I Am
Twisted Sista
Creme of Nature
SoftSheen-Carson
Edit: Shea Moisture issued a statement on their Facebook page apologizing and assuring customers that their core buyers are their priority.
There seems to be a few people who don't understand the upset, so I'm here to give a quick explanation just in case the reason for the anger went over your head.
Shea Moisture, when it first was created, was a company made for and by black women to cater to black women. Their products were made to maintain and protect that easily damaged texture of black hair so that women of color wouldn't have to fall to try and change or damage their hair by using straightening products like relaxers or get weaves if they did not want to. They're one of the major companies that people go to when they go on a natural hair journey. That's how well known they are in the black community. So when an ad comes out that features one women of color and the rest of the women are white women talking about "Hair hate" and how they came to terms with loving their hair, you can see why black women would be upset.
One: It's rare for a white woman to face little to any hate or discrimination towards their hair texture. It's almost laughable to even think about a white woman complaining about such a thing because their beauty is seen as the standard in society. Two: Women of color has seen this song and dance play out before. It's a clear sign that Shea Moisture is looking to expand and by expand drop their old clientele for a new demographic that's more mainstream and therefore more white. This is nothing against white women, it's just that when companies that usually cater to black women starts looking to appease and charm white women they tend to leave us behind and box us out. Like you'll see looking through the commentary in response to the new Shea Moisture ad, there's fear of reformulation. Which means that Shea Moisture products may not work for black women as well as it used to, if at all. Thereby pushing black women out of the buyer field entirely.
This is a perfect example of black buyers being seen as not good enough and not worth catering to in the long run. Perhaps because our money isn't worth as much in a money hungry society. A lot of the times, with expansion comes abandonment. It's a fear that's based in experience and facts. Don't be so quick to write people off as overreacting and throwing a fit.
But if Shea Moisture is no longer a fit for you there are plenty of companies worth checking out.
Cantu
As I Am
Twisted Sista
Creme of Nature
SoftSheen-Carson
Edit: Shea Moisture issued a statement on their Facebook page apologizing and assuring customers that their core buyers are their priority.
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