Have you seen Old Navy’s new “We Are We” commercials?
If you haven’t, here’s their new 30-second spot. Watch it and see if you can’t spot the immediate problems.
I’m sure you caught it, but just to make sure all our bases are covered, let’s break this down.
It starts by mentioning the obvious political divide in our country and fair enough. We are definitely divided in ways that haven’t been seen since before the civil war. Mentioning this is a good start because it gives you the impression Old Navy is about to be a bit more inclusive in its message.
If your hopes were elevated they were promptly flattened. Old Navy immediately tosses the idea out that the right exists and focuses squarely on left-leaning issues while talking about how everyone’s voices are being heard. In the cute little animation and video cuts, we see women’s rights, Black Lives Matter, and LGBT causes represented.
It then cuts to talking about how there can be no future with “you vs. me,” but as the commercial continues, you don’t see any kind of right-leaning cause represented, be it pro-life or free speech.
If Old Navy was trying to create a commercial that brought people together, the “We Are We” campaign is the opposite of what it should do. In fact, it sends a worse message than maybe it intended.
I’m sure it’s gotten that message by now because it was forced to turn off the comments on YouTube, however, the ratio of dislikes to likes on the video are still a pretty solid reminder to the company that this is not the way it should have gone.
I want the “maybe” part to be emphasized here, and I’ll get to that in a second.
By not even once displaying anything on the right but the color red, you’re essentially acknowledging that there is an us vs. them mentality among our populace but by only displaying leftist causes, you’re making the “them” in this situation the right and excluding them from the following message of unity. In doing so, Old Navy has only increased the divide instead of narrowing it.
Old Navy’s ad agency may have very well did this because it was too afraid to show anything that might upset the left, and it’s pretty easy to figure out why. In a time where the mob’s anger may result in your stores being set on fire, giving nods to people who believe that life starts at conception or that police are the good guys is liable to make you a target for a good ol’ fashioned loot and scoot.
What’s more, the mob will find anyone responsible for the ad and hold them personally liable, including, but not limited to, doxxing, mob visits to your home, embarrassing past mistakes brought into the open, and more.
Then again, the commercial may have been on purpose. The Martin Agency appears to be Old Navy’s ad agency and reading their website, it’s pretty clear what they’re concerns as an agency is about. In fact, they don’t have any qualms about telling you. They have an entire section of their page dedicated to their views, and wouldn’t you know it, all three of the previous groups mentioned in the Old Navy commercial are mentioned there.
In fact, one of the articles there is about the CEO talking about the benefits of a company undergoing a #MeToo scandal.
This agency has fallen so far left it’s tipped over and fallen into a pile of its own excrement.
But fine. These are both private companies that want to release a message. It’s hypocritical and/or very narrow-minded messages but it’s theirs to make.
Two can play at that game, however. Here’s my message.
Old Navy is a brand looking to be divisive and succeeded. As a right-leaning guy I feel pushed away, so it shouldn’t be surprised that I do exactly what someone being pushed away would do. I won’t shop there anymore. It apparently doesn’t want my business.
I want to be clear about something, however. I’m not boycotting them because they made an ad that excluded the right from its commercial about unity. That happens all the time and while it doesn’t help anyone or anything, it’s not the real crime here.
I’m boycotting it because the things they did include in their message of unity have harmed so many people and killed others. If that’s where Old Navy wants to plant its flag, then it can, however, I can’t morally follow it.
I’m not removing myself from the brand, it pushed me away. It’s removing itself from me.