*Update: The ads have been removed thanks to your rapid action. Scroll to bottom for details*
This week a teacher forwarded us a sponsored post by H&M where pre-teen girls were styled and posed in school fashion outfits and the headline ‘Make those heads turn in H&M’s Back to School fashion.'
After decades of working against the sexualisation of girls we were immediately concerned and took to social media to call them out.
Our Movement Director, Melinda Tankard Reist, first posted on X (formally twitter) and the response was overwhelming.
"The little girls parents generally prefer heads don’t ‘turn’ when others see their daughters walking to school, on a bus or in class. Why would you want to fuel the idea that little girls should draw attention to their looks, bodies and ‘style’? Perhaps have a word to your marketing team and come up with something that doesn’t draw attention to pre pubescent girls already struggling to thrive in a culture that values ‘lookism’ as an aspirational goal?" Tankard Reist said on Twitter.
People all around the world began to call H&M out for their harmful and irresponsible ad.
This ad has now been removed. We are deeply sorry for the offense this has caused and will look into how we present campaigns going forward.
— H&M Customer Service (@hm_custserv) January 19, 2024
Since then we have also posted on our other social media platforms with supporters joining the chorus, calling on H&M to ditch the ad and offer an apology.
Take action! Contact H&M now and tell them to dump this ad:
Let us know if you get a response.
This morning we emailed supporters asking them to take action and email H&M. So many of you got back to us with H&M's confirmation they have removed the ad and apologies. See this reply to our colleague Lyn Kennedy below.
Our campaign has attracted widespread media attention around the world:
- Sydney Sun - HM removes school uniform ad in Australia after complaints it sexualized children
- Channel 9 News - H&M pulls school uniform ad in Australia after complaints it sexualised children
- Herald Sun - 'Stop sexualising kids': Fashion giant pulls ad after backlash
- Yahoo - H&M pulls school uniform ad in Australia after complaints it sexualized children
- MSN Business Insider - H&M has pulled a school uniform ad over criticism that it sexualized young girls
- CNN Business - H&M pulls school uniform ad in Australia after complaints it sexualized children
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