"Stop s*xualizing children!!": H&M enrages parents with Back to School Facebook ad featuring the caption ‘Make those heads turn'

The popular clothing brand H&M recently came under fire for its latest school uniform advertisement. The advertisement had the tagline "Make those heads turn" and was released on Thursday, January 18, 2024. The tagline and the ad faced immense backlash online, with people commenting that it was "s*xualizing" children.

The backlash targeted the "Back to School Fashion" campaign ad showing two young girls in pinafore dresses. Activists like Melinda Tankard Reist expressed their outrage, leading the brand to take down the ad. People took to X to express their fury, with one person saying:

Response of an X user on the new ad (Image via X / a spiritual being)

The brand has taken down the ad and has apologized for it:

"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 also said there was no intention to hurt the sentiments of the people. Certain groups of people did not accept the apology and are still enraged by the brand.

---

What is H&M, and why has its ad campaign enraged the public?

H&M, or Hennes & Mauritz AB, is a Swedish multinational clothing retail company. It is one of the largest fashion retailers globally, known for its trendy and affordable clothing, accessories, and footwear. It offers a wide range of fashion items for men, women, and children and is known for its fast fashion business model.

According to the Daily Mail, the ever-popular clothing brand recently launched a campaign that mainly focused on children with a keen interest in cosmetics, beauty, fashion, and makeup. The promotional campaign of the brand showcased two girls wearing pinafore dresses along with the accompanying slogan:

“Make those heads turn in H&M’s Back to School fashion.”

The brand's now-deleted ad (Image via X/@MelTankardReist)

Upon seeing the ad, netizens became furious, stating the ad is provocative and s*xualizes children. One user, @MelTankardReist, wrote on X:

"Little schoolgirls generally don’t want to “turn heads”. The large numbers I engage with in schools want to be left alone to learn and have fun."

One X user wrote:

“The caption used in the ad seems highly inappropriate and insensitive. Brands should prioritize responsible advertising, especially when it involves children.”

Another X user wrote:

"What in the hell is this? H&M s*xualising children! This is sickening."

A person on X characterized it as an "unsuitable advertisement" and suggested the brand should reconsider its approach promptly.

"The whole point of school uniforms is to stop kids using brands to shame other poorer kids, quite apart from the seedy undertones this advert has. What are H&M thinking?"

Response of an X user on the new ad (Image via X/@AbsolutelyVexed)

Another user lamented the ad, explaining:

LBC reports that online users are urging the clothing outlet to investigate the ad's approval process. An X user said:

"This ad should never have got approval! Who gave the go ahead?"

Another user wrote:

"It's very concerning that it took people on social media to point out the issues with this add, and no one did in the many processes it would have gone through before being posted. Who is running these things nowadays."

According to The Independent, Justine Roberts, the Mumsnet founder and chief executive, said:

"Mumsnet users have long been concerned about a s*xualised culture creeping into the lives of children – which is why we launched our Let Girls Be Girls campaign in 2010."

He grieved seeing the current scenario of advertisement, which has been the same as it was 14 years earlier. He added:

“It’s disappointing to see that, 14 years later, retailers are still creating inappropriate adverts that prematurely sexualise young girls."

According to Daily Mail, although the brand has apologized to its users, many people did not accept it. One X user said:

"I haven't yet addressed how anyone within the company came to show such appalling judgment in commissioning and signing off on it."

At the time of writing, the ad has been deleted.