coolest monkey in the jungle

[Zeno Lorea]

What sucks about being black and gay, is that I'm forced to pick sides on certain issues.

No you don't. You have every right to agree, disagree, abstain, see both sides, or choose any other option.

 

[Willie Boy]

You know how it is, these days people are always looking for somthing to be offended by. I was often called a little monkey as a child. So what?

You were a cheeky little bastard way back then, weren't ya?????

 

[LeicsDom]

You were a cheeky little bastard way back then, weren't ya?????

Yeah, I was called that as well/ Another thing to be offended by

 

[rareboy]

Well, even I know that racists call blacks monkeys...or jungle monkeys to be precise.

So yeah. H&M should have been aware of what they were greenlighting.

In the meantime:

 

[Telstra]

Maybe all Asian countries say it is not racist and only western countries say it is racist.
South Africa is considered western country. So there are more people in Asia than in western countries.

 

[JohnnyAnger]

I think it was a miss step from a marketing point of view, and one that clearly should have been avoided. Still I don't 100% believe the intention was to be racist. The chances are the thought wasn't even there amongst non-English speakers. I know in German ape/monkey is loads to describe people, but its not a black thing e.g. inselaffen for English people, affenzirkus, Affenhaus, Affenarsch, Affengeil, Affenhitze, Der hat sich zum Affen gemacht, flink wie ein Affe etc etc. I can only hope the intention was to say children can act silly sometimes, just like a monkey.

 

[Telstra]

I can prove it is not racist because of this
for India and China about Monkey Magic

 

[HoodedRat]

Is "coolest monkey in the jungle" a racist ad ?

No.
.....

 

[sixthson]

Curious George is the coolest monkey in the jungle.

 

[Alistair]

Just because it wasn't meant to be racist, doesn't mean it isn't.

Like rareboy said, in the US racist use the term as an insult.