Here’s another example of a minority group choosing the wrong battles.
The company that makes Shea Moisture released a slick video ad that points out the disparity between beauty aisles that stock majority white products and “ethnic” aisles that stock products for black hair and skin.
The Huffington Post claims the ‘Ethnic’ aisle “neglects” women of color by not stocking black hair care products in the ‘beauty’ aisle.
“We just have been conditioned to go to the corner and find our spot where we’ve been placed,” says a female voice over. “There’s a section called ‘Ethnic,’ and there is an aisle called ‘Beauty.’”
But what’s wrong with that? When black women go to a store looking for hair care products, we instinctively look for the ethnic aisle because we know that’s where we will find the products we need.
It would be inconvenient if the store mixed ethnic hair care products in with 2 or 3 aisles of shampoos and conditioners that are not formulated for our hair.
The video ends with the predominantly white “Beauty” aisle breaking away and falling down only to reveal Shea Moisture products in the beauty aisle, too.
“We’re Shea Moisture, and now, we can be found in the beauty aisle — where we all belong.”
Good for you, Shea Moisture.
This sounds more like sour grapes by a company seeking a larger share of profits by “breaking out” of the small “ethnic” aisle.
It won’t benefit Shea Moisture to move to another section of the store where their customers can’t find their products.
