L’Oréal drops Munroe Bergdorf

Cosmetics Company L’Oréal has been the target of many news outlets this week with the announcement that they would be dropping Munroe Bergdorf.  Bergdorf was chosen to feature In a campaign that conveyed  LOreal’s  “depth within diversity” Bergdorf was shortly dismissed after a number of social media posts she made addressing racism within our society.

It could be seen as very condescending that Bergdorf was chosen to act as an ambassador for L’Oreal’s True match Influencer campaign, but was then dropped after conveying her truth on the subject of systematic racism. Systematic racism exists and continues to oppress a huge part of society. In a campaign that’s focal point is diversity it is quite obscure that L’Oreal didn’t  make attempts to understand the view point of their ambassador. L’Oreal allegedly states that the comments were “at odds” with its values. It is evident that a huge brand like LO’real has a public image to maintain, and in doing so they have to ensure that their ambassadors share the same values as it’s audience. It is also transparent that the brand used  Bergdorf as a false image to portray the “diversity” within L’Oreal because in getting to know Bergdorf as an ambassador for a DIVERSITY campaign these are the subjects that should of been addressed.

Bergdorf’s comments were questionably controversial to some and probably didn’t sit well with the shareholders at L’Oreal. As a business the decisions made by the management at L’Oreal work in the best interest of the shareholders , shareholders who are probably all Caucasian with a bad taste in their mouth after watching the Bergdorf comments play out into the media.

It seems that there is a lack of empathy for public figures who publicly bring awareness to topics that are normally shoved under the rock but without people like Munroe we will continue to let systematic racism exist.

It is a shame that in 2017 people are still not allowed to address the topic of racism without someone feeling attacked. Systematic racism is an act of oppression and L’Oreal dropping Bergdorf is a true representation of how the world handles the truth when it comes to race,. Bergdorf was brave for the comments she made and I hope other brands are not deterred from working with her for simply speaking the truth.