Argos defends advert starring Black lesbian couple and their kids which has naturally infuriated racists and homophobes
A Black lesbian couple and their children were featured on an Argos people and, you guessed it, the racists and homophobes were enraged. (Screen capture via YouTube)
Argos found itself in a Twitter firestorm after it launched a new advert starring a Black queer couple and wow, racists and homophobes seriously need to get a hobby.
Like knitting, or actually learning the lyrics to “Rule, Britannia”.
The British retailer was applauded by many after it launched its latest advert, which follows two women and their children spending a relaxing family evening.
It follows numerous commercials in the past that have featured straight, all-white families, and a years-long campaign about literal aliens landing into Britain and ordering things via Argos.
While queer Black people in particular were overjoyed by this nugget of representation, there was, of course, a backlash.
me, a british person who was finally excited to see somebody who actually looked just like me in a british advert: ??? https://t.co/3jNxTXSbLW
— liv⁷ (@trivialiv) August 28, 2020
An all Black family with queer parents, INJECT IT AND MAKE THEM MAD https://t.co/S7x9ViEnFO— Tanya Compas (@TanyaCompas) August 28, 2020
Indeed, countless accounts, often named “Lyn” or “Keith”, clucked their tongues at an advert they claimed wasn’t representative of modern Britain. Whatever that means.
Oh, the terror, they raged, of the family using a popcorn machine and an outdoor projector screen to have a nice evening in the back garden. Oh, the horror of them sitting on comfortable cushions and playing with toys.
Some threatened to complain about the advert to Ofcom, Britain’s broadcasting watchdog.
Others levelled that the company was no longer “interested in white folks” – seemingly forgetting that the company launched a similar summer campaign in July with an all-white family. And about 100 before that.
Un-fucking-believable! ? pic.twitter.com/yguu5MojA7— my_bookish_life (@LifeBookish) August 27, 2020
Now, we might not have left the house in a few days due to lockdown, but we’re pretty sure aliens voiced by the Pirates of the Caribbean actor Bill Nighy weren’t “representative” of this island, but apparently, the racists and homophobes appeared more able to “relate” to aliens than queer Black folk. Great. Fantastic. Sure.
White ppl saying they can’t relate to the black family in the Argos advert instead of just saying their racist lmfaooo they had a whole alien family in their ads a few years back n not one of those Neanderthals said they “couldn’t relate”— l (@leavemealonepIs) August 27, 2020
nobody complained when Argos used an actual family of Aliens in their advert, but a Black family is a big NO NO. you sad little ignorant racist people make me sick
— Grime Kids OUT NOW (@DJTarget) August 27, 2020
Argos refused to be stung by the criticism, replying with a simple Twitter statement posted on Thursday (August 26): “We’re proud to represent a diverse and inclusive Britain in our advertising.
“Argos is for everyone.”
We’re proud to represent a diverse and inclusive Britain in our advertising. pic.twitter.com/58eK9SoOW5— Argos (@Argos_Online) August 27, 2020
As much as the advert was muddled, many queer and Black users sought to stress how important it is for them and many other minority groups to see themselves shown on television screens.
Now if they could just bring back that catalogue.
