Comments on: Illmasqua Blackface Ad

By: Megan

Megan — Sun, 09 Dec 2012 22:32:42 +0000

Totally agree, I love you guess for thinking critically and questioning things like this. If we all nod our heads and go along with it, things will never change.

By: beck

beck — Sat, 01 Dec 2012 00:28:38 +0000

LOVE This post! And thank u for educating the naysayer in the comments!

By: Lois Sakany

Lois Sakany — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 18:15:19 +0000

We could debate whether or not it’s inspired by blackface though it’s seems very obvious to me given the placement of the makeup, the tophat & the bowtie. If you are saying Europeans have no awareness around blackface that is not true, it’s been performed in various places around the globe and stirs up controversy wherever it goes. And even if the average person is ignorant, a corporation can’t use that excuse and expect to get away with it. We can assume the team who creates its marketing programs are very highly educated, wordly and brought on because they have a good sense and feel for popular culture imagery. The issue is that no one at Illmasqua thought to put the breaks on this campaign and part of that I have to assume is that they exist in a bit of a priviledged bubble and lack exposure to a perspective that is truely all inclusive.

By: Laura

Laura — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 17:49:50 +0000

That’s what I’m saying – I don’t think it’s INSPIRED BY BLACKFACE. Like words are symbols for things, so are images, this image, to a European like myself, does not symbolize what you know as “blackface.”

By: Lois Sakany

Lois Sakany — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 16:19:29 +0000

Hi Laura: Thank for you comment. I understand that culture can create distance from painful incidents, but I think black face is different than a word that doesn’t translate across languages. It was essentially a mockery of black people that could exist because of their less-than status in society. It’d be one thing if now the world was an equal place, but it’s not at all–even in Europe minorities struggle more and for the most part are kept out of positions of power. So when a powerful corporation chooses to be inspired by something in our past that we’re still dealing with overcoming it comes across as not only racist but also callous. For me it’s disturbing that a company whose emphasis is creativity and artistry would even be inspired by blackface. Why in the world use imagery that is known to be painful to so many? Do their feelings not matter? There are so many more ways to push the limits and expand ALL people’s minds that are beautiful and thought provoking and don’t rehash the same old visuals and stereotypes.

By: Laura

Laura — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 15:16:58 +0000

From a European (and I am also of European heritage, as well as upbringing, which I’m sure you may think will affect my judgement on this matter) point of view, I’m really sorry to say this, but in the name of honesty and freedom of expression, I must say it: I don’t get the race issue here. We in Europe don’t have this whole blackface history that Americans are so sensitive about (at least not where I grew up), I first heard of it just a few years ago, during the Beyonce black face scandal (she was STYLED BY AN AFRICAN MAN for that picture, by the way, I’m sure he didn’t mean to offend African Americans by it either, just DID NOT KNOW about the whole issue). I’m sorry to hear that you guys are constantly getting offended by creative images that aren’t put out there to offend you at all. And by writing this, I don’t mean to offend you either, or defend this commercial campaign, just saying, for your own sake, dear Americans, please don’t get offended by CULTURAL DIFFERENCES. It’s like getting offended by a foreigner saying a word that in english is a profanity, but in his/her language means something else.