In what ways is the advert “The Look” ‘a story about bias’ in contemporary American society?

“The Look” is a collaboration between Proctor & Gamble and Saturday Morning, a creative collective whose agenda is to make content that speaks for social justice. The advert shows the bidirectional ambiguity between societal images of and biases against black men. Bias does not only show itself in extreme, overt situations, but it is implicit in small ways. This is evident in how white Americans look at the protagonist as he walks down a street, arrives at his workplace,  at the pool, dines at a restaurant, and goes shopping for clothes. We are going along a typical day in his life, viewing the world from his perspective. He is literally at eye-level with those he encounters to demonstrate that he is in control of the situation. The camera turns 180° and gauges his reaction. He reciprocates their stares with dignity, composed and above their behavior. The way in which he carries himself is reminiscent of the former president, Barack Obama. The final scene in which he takes his seat as a judge of court mirrors the opening scene, entailing that this whole advert is a cycle he endures every day.

Saturday Morning explains that there are key historical events linked to these scenes and that these interactions serve to show how much has changed. But what has really changed when the pointedness in their eyes scream a thousand words of prejudice? of values that have been passed down for generations? Childish Gambino’s song, This is America also exhibits the parallels between the treatment of African Americans in the Jim Crow Era and in a contemporary context. In an excerpt from Friday Black by Nana Brenyah, the protagonist, Emmanuel, talks about his blackness as something that can be adjusted in order. to fit in and survive. He wears a hoodie and a cap turned back as an act of solidarity and silent protest.  All these texts juxtapose racial prejudices as values that are taught and passed down, thus opening the need for conversations to be had in families, in social circles, and in schools.

 

One thought on “In what ways is the advert “The Look” ‘a story about bias’ in contemporary American society?

  1. An excellent post, Amanda: thoughtful, subtle and well-expressed. You have outlined the ways in which this short film is composed to capture both overt and covert instances of bias and you have thought about the ways in which the camera works to convey that experience to the audience. I love the way you’ve linked this to Friday Black so thoughtfully. (And the page looks great!)) Beautiful! 🙂

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Skip to toolbar