Shenseea Too “Hypersexualised” For Promoting Sunshine Snacks To Kids, Says Activist. Brand’s CEO Responds

Can children’s snacks be sexualized? Activist Umar Abdullah, leader of the First Wave Movement, apparently believes so.

In an October 3 statement, the activist launched a stinging broadside against Sunshine Snacks’ choice of Jamaican singer Shenseea and her son as brand ambassadors, saying her songs make her unsuitable for promoting the brand to children.

“This reckless endorsement demonstrates an alarming lack of moral, ethical, and family values that should form the foundation of any reputable company,” he said.

Abdullah decried Shenseea’s songs and image as “hypersexualised” and upbraided Associated Brands, the parent company of Sunshine Snacks, for choosing Shenseea, adding that he was “deeply appalled”.

“The hit song Foreplay by Shenseea, in particular, promotes dangerous ideas that have no place in a product targeted at children. Lyrics such as ‘Me nah go lie to yuh, mi afi tell yuh, mi love it when yuh finger meh’ are shocking and inappropriate, signaling a catastrophic failure in judgment from those responsible for this decision,” Abdullah said in a statement.

Sunshine Snacks, launched in 1977, announced Shenseea and her son as brand ambassadors at the AC Hotel Kingston in Jamaica on September 25. The mother-son duo will become the face of the brand not only in their home country but also in Barbados, Guyana, and Trinidad & Tobago.

Social media reactions have been mixed, with some users expressing concern. “This is a very hypocritical company that promotes kids snacks. Sponsoring an artiste that promotes having multiple partners as a female at the same time,” one person said.

“Isn’t this marketed towards kids? Wasn’t there anyone more wholesome?” another added.

However, deputy chairman and CEO of Associated Brands Group Nicholas Lok Jack defended the decision, explaining that Shenseea’s charitable efforts during Hurricane Beryl played a pivotal role in the company’s decision.

Lok Jack told Trinidad newspaper Newsday that the singer’s commitment to giving back to her home country, Jamaica, aligns with the brand’s values. “We chose Shenseea – and it’s not just her, but it’s also her son Raj – particularly for her community work as well as for her ability to bring awareness to the brand,” he said.

He said that she would help with the company’s “charitable side of things” in Jamaica moving forward.

Lok Jack also clarified that Shenseea will primarily represent adult-oriented products like Sun Mix peanuts, while her son Raj will be the face of kid-friendly items. “I don’t think that Sunshine Snacks is exclusively a children’s brand,” he emphasized. “We have a lot of sub-brands that attend to different segments of the market. We attend to different markets depending on the level of sensitivities.”

He added: “We have cheese balls and corn curls, which are very ‘kiddy’ in its context.”

“And how we use the Shenseea personality will be according to the brand and the positioning – which specific brand we tie the product itself to.”