[he/him] also no

Nice mansplaining you got there, very convincing.

I have actually followed Sut Jhally's university courses on advertising and propaganda, so maybe come up with a better argument, or shut the fuck up.

I've been aware of this whole 'ethnic' hair body positivity stuff for years now. And in White majority countries a huge part of it has been just having access to better shampoo.
Like in Europe buying shampoo or conditioner that works well with curly Black hair, until recently, meant purchasing online or going to a specialty store.

That is why shops specifically advertise that they carry those products; although Clicks is in South Africa, so that is probably different.
And at least those ads are still a step up from pushing hair straightening products.

One could argue about the pictures they chose to use in their ad, but consider: if they used nicer looking hair, that would be racist because it insults even nice looking hair, but if they used worse looking hair, that would be racist because it is bad representation.
So they went for a middle ground, okayish hair, but there was really no way to win there. The likely outcome is just that they are going to stop marketing in ways that focus on apparent needs (keywords that people use in searching for products), but rather are centered on aspirations.
Which just means advertising will continue consisting of mostly unattainable images; that is what I mean by all advertising is harmful.

I'm not saying the EFF protestors are bad or ineffective, they will force positive changes; but claiming that it was an "extremely racist advertisement" is overblown and depends on a very shallow reading.
Which again, a shallow reading is what most people have, so the ads still operate as racist, which is why they should be stopped, but the hyperbole does not help to that end.
Calling it something like an "advertisement that perpetuates racism" is at least accurate and not going to get any resistance from overeducated assholes like me.

Edit: my intent is not to be reactionary, but just to explain why I hold this position. I don't live in South Africa, I'm not counter protesting or anything, obviously.