Who’s in the Room?

DeAndra Giselle
Sep 21
3 min read

Why Cultural Sensitivity in Marketing Still Isn’t Optional

Do we really still need to say this?

Why are we still seeing marketing campaigns that suggest lighter skin is better? Why are brands still reenacting painful scenarios or making jokes at the expense of entire communities?

At what point do we stop asking if people are offended and start asking how this even made it out of the brainstorming room?

Because someone greenlit it, someone thought it was clever. And clearly, no one in the room stopped to say, “This might be a bad idea.”

Let’s Talk About 2025

This isn’t a “back in the day” issue. It’s still happening. Right now. And this year has already given us more than enough examples of marketing gone wrong — all because cultural sensitivity was left out of the strategy.

🚨 Example 1: American Eagle’s “Great Jeans/Genes” Campaign

This year, American Eagle released a campaign featuring Sydney Sweeney with the tagline: “Sydney Sweeney has great jeans/genes.”

What started as a denim pun quickly spiraled into backlash. Why? Because it invoked genetic traits like eye color, hair color, and skin tone — and it was paired with someone who embodies Eurocentric beauty standards. To many, the subtext was clear: some traits are superior to others.

The word “genes” — once playful — suddenly became loaded.

☕ Example 2: Dunkin’s “Golden Hour Refresher” Ad

Just days later, Dunkin’ dropped its own ad featuring actor Gavin Casalegno from The Summer I Turned Pretty. In it, he says:

“This tan? Genetics.”

And once again, consumers were quick to point out the problem. When paired with lines about “golden summer” skin, it felt like another subtle reinforcement of who gets to be considered beautiful or desirable. It came right on the heels of American Eagle’s controversy, and it was tone-deaf at best.

No, the line wasn’t explicitly racist. But the context made it hurtful.

It’s not always about intention. It’s about perception. And if two national brands run ads that even hint at colorism or genetic superiority within the same week, it’s not a coincidence. It’s a pattern.

🧴 Example 3: Sanex Shower Gel – Banned in the UK

Then there was Sanex — a skincare brand whose UK commercial was pulled by the Advertising Standards Authority. The ad featured a Black woman in a “before” shot with visibly irritated skin, and a white woman in the “after” scene with smooth skin.

The ASA ruled the ad reinforced negative racial stereotypes by visually implying that white skin is the standard of health or cleanliness. Sanex tried to defend it, but it was too late. The message had already landed — and it wasn’t the one they wanted.

Consumers Aren’t Overreacting. They’re Over It.

Let’s be clear: today’s consumers aren’t just sensitive. They’re aware.

They’re watching what brands say — and what they don’t. They’re analyzing who you feature, who you hire, and who’s clearly missing from the conversation.

The reaction isn’t about one line in an ad or one visual in a campaign. It’s about a pattern—a feeling of being overlooked, misrepresented, or commodified.

And they’re not staying silent about it.

Screenshots. Quote tweets. Call-outs. Hashtag takedowns. Consumers are your new accountability team.

So Who’s in the Room?

That’s the question every brand should be asking before launching a campaign.

When everyone in the room looks the same, thinks the same, and shares the same blind spots, bad ideas often make it out the door.

You can’t course-correct in real time if the strategy was broken from the start. That’s why inclusion can’t just be visual. It has to be structural. Strategic. Rooted in who's actually at the table when the decisions get made.

Cultural Awareness Isn’t a Trend. It’s a Responsibility.

This isn’t about walking on eggshells. It’s about being intentional.

It’s about asking:

Who will this message impact?
Who might this hurt?
Who are we excluding by telling the story this way?

And if no one in the room is asking those questions, it’s time to change the room.

Because clever isn’t enough, pretty isn’t enough. Performative isn’t enough.

If your campaign doesn’t reflect the world your consumers live in, they won’t just scroll past. They’ll speak up. Loudly.

Final Word

Before your brand speaks, ask yourself:

Who’s in the room? Who’s missing? And are we willing to challenge ourselves before the internet does it for us?

Because if you’re not checking for cultural sensitivity, your audience will. And they won’t hesitate to let you know you got it wrong.