Smart light company Govee apologizes for “white supremacy” marketing imagery

Ever wonder how a simple mistake can cause a brand to face serious backlash? Govee, a smart lighting company, is now apologizing after it was caught featuring books with the words “white supremacy” in a marketing image. Scharon Harding reports that the books were visible on a shelf above a child's bed on Govee’s US website — only the spines showed, but enough to stir outrage. The Verge first broke the story after a reader noticed the disturbing imagery and reached out; Govee then quickly removed the picture, but didn’t respond to initial questions. Now, this isn’t just about a typo or a careless oversight — according to Harding, it highlights how companies can accidentally license harmful or controversial content without realizing it, especially when relying on third-party sources. So what does this mean for you? Brands need to double-check everything — because one slip-up can quickly spiral into a reputation crisis. The real question is — how many other companies are unknowingly carrying this kind of problematic content, just waiting to be uncovered?