A Reflection on Media Representation

Written by: Marshai R

7 August 2025

“What has been is what will be,

and what has been done is what will be done; there is nothing new under the sun.”   The Book of Ecclesiastes 1:9

The recent Ralph Lauren’s Oak Bluffs campaign discourse online has been a curious one to follow.  The discussions centers around the legacy of affluent Black Americans who vacation or live in Oak Bluffs, an exclusive wealthy area. You have different fractions of our population deciding if this is good representation or bad representation.   I’m sure I’m being overly simplistic, but I see two major camps.

Camp A:  We love the campaign! It is a counter to the vast number of negative tropes and stereotypes about Black Americans currently in the media.  In addition, there is finally something in the media that represents my family.  Struggle is not our story.

Camp B: This ad is inauthentic and sends a harmful message that capitalism will save Black Americans.  If we allow ads such as these to become the main narrative, then money will be equated to progress and no real systematic change will happen.  

Where do I stand? I’m going to cheat and say Camp C.  I like to look at beautiful things and beautiful people being happy and restful.  I can enjoy a piece of media and know what I’m really being sold, which often times is not the actual product.  I know that media (propaganda) can turn the behaviors and perceptions of whole societies.  Do I care what others think of me on a personal basis? I try not to and most times I’m successful.  Do I care what others think on a societal basis? Unfortunately, I have to care.  I have children, nieces, nephews and other family members that have to navigate a society of teachers, managers, business partners, etc whose sole perception will be based on media interactions.  Therefore, I can recognize the positive crumbs the Oak Bluffs campaign can leave.

Is the Oak Bluffs debate interesting because it is novel?  No.

We’ve been here before where Black artists were criticized for showing happy Black people just living their lives. In the early 20^th century, Zora Neale Hurston's work faced criticism, often centering on her choosing to focus on Black life and culture and her perceived lack of overt social protest. Some critics, particularly during the Harlem Renaissance, found her work to be too celebratory of Black life and not critical enough of the systemic racism of the time.  There were other criticisms, but these particularly have strong parallels to the current ad campaign. 

The rich depiction of the wholeness of Black culture and the exploration of universal themes of love and independence can and should be divorced from political activism.  Sometimes a smile is just a smile. Embracing the diversity of our experience allows for a more nuanced appreciation of the individual stories and triumphs within the Black community.

As the opening quote notes, all of this reflects a cyclical view of life and history. It suggests that while circumstances and events may appear novel, the underlying human experiences, desires, and struggles remain fundamentally the same throughout time.   In this case, it’s the ability to control one’s public image and to just be.  

Have you chosen a camp?  Is our fundamental struggle to fight for the ability to be free of group expectations?