Representation Analysis

Representation Analysis

H&M "Close The Loop" Ad

H&M "Close The Loop" Campaign 

Just as the name suggests, H&M is not only trying to "close the loop" of millions of cloths that get thrown away every year, which inevitably leads to thousands of liters of water to get wasted, but they are also trying to "close the loop" to stereotypical and society set standards of fashion and beautiful. 

It is precisely the representation in this campaign that allows H&M to break the barriers, or in this case,"close the loop" of dated rules and standards that society pressures people into.  

H&M "Close The Loop" Campaign 

In this campaign, historically underrepresented groups are seen highlighted and even used as the main characters of the advertisement. It is common in the media world for women, LGTBQ+, people of color, range body types/sizes, people with disabilities, people with mental illness, and the elderly to be casted into small roles or even worse, not be casted at all. We can see that this is not the case in the H&M Campaign. For example, above is a picture, from the campaign, of what society would label an elderly man completely breaking every single barrier of what an elderly man is "supposed" look like. H&M really did an outstanding job at doing something that most, if not all, companies are afraid of doing. Companies are afraid of showing consumers what real people look like in fear that they will loose followers/consumers, not realizing that by not showing these challenged versions of "normal", they are justifying the discrimination that people who feel different from societies standard have to endure every single day of their lives. This goes back to the question of, what are the possible effects upon audiences when faced with these representation examples? The answer is very simple, these types of campaigns and advertisements are opening endless doors for those who feel like everything they see on TV or in any media, goes against how they feel. It is Ads like these, that give kids, men, women, and people around the world, the confidence to feel comfortable and embrace the differences, the stares, and the whispers because there is nothing wrong with that. Advertisements such as these are finally showing the rest of the world what real people look like.

H&M "Close The Loop" Campaign