I don't know why this bothers me so much, but after seeing the HOG website I'm literally shocked.
Not only did they claim the "reboot restock" project was aimed to "
TO EMPOWER WOMEN TO RISE ABOVE “CANCEL CULTURE” AND ONLINE BULLYING." but they also had to do a little dig when first talking about the "reboot" project saying "
A LAST-MINUTE ISSUE AND CHANGE TO THE ORIGINAL CONCEPT MEANT WE HAD TO BE ADAPTABLE AND EXECUTE THIS CAMPAIGN OVER THE COURSE OF THE THREE DAYS PRIOR TO LAUNCH".
example 1: Project reboot (the one where Sarah showed up in box braids and had POC reach out letting her know this was cultural appropriation)
example 2: Project reboot restock (where she "stuck it to the haters and cancel culture she experienced from the previous cultural appropriation she did)
I'm not any kind of professional, but it's crystal clear how "unprofessional" they are.
People make mistakes. People do things that hurt others without the intention of hurting them. THAT IS LIFE. What's important is to take ownership of it, listen to those who you impacted, and grow.
If Sarah & the "team" listened to what others were saying, acknowledged the hurt that it could cause and said they will make the ESSENTIAL changes so that they can grow from this experience... I truly don't think it would've been as bad as they continue to make this all be.
Instead, they continue to double down and dig themselves into a deeper hole -- truly showing that they couldn't give two fucks.
How do you have black women reaching out saying "hey, even if this wasn't your intention this wasn't cool, can you not do this" and turn that into "we faced a challenge at work that made this project difficult" and "cancel culture and online bullying"
They are quite literally, making money and advertising themselves based off of their own inability to have any self accountability or reflection.
How in the world do they have a successful business when this is so clearly wrong? I can't wrap my head around it.