Critique of Adidas advertising campaign with Bella Hadid
During the Olympic Games 1972 in Munich, Palestinian terrorists murdered eleven Israeli athletes. Now, German sportswear manufacturer Adidas is promoting a shoe developed for the aforementioned Olympics in a new campaign. However, the choice of cooperation partner has caused controversy.
Adidas is facing criticism for its collaboration with US model Bella Hadid in a new campaign for the SL 72 OG shoe, which was originally designed for the Olympic Games 1972 in Munich. The games were overshadowed by an attack by Palestinian terrorists, resulting in the murder of eleven Israeli athletes.
Hadid has been accused of antisemitism and spreading propaganda for the terrorist organization Hamas in social media in the past. In 2021, she reportedly appeared at a pro-Palestinian rally in New York and called out with other participants the slogan "From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free," which can be interpreted as a call for the destruction of Israel.
The official X-Account of the State of Israel commented on the campaign: "Adidas recently started a new campaign for their shoes to draw attention to the Olympic Games 1972 in Munich. During the Olympic Games in Munich, eleven Israelis were murdered by Palestinian terrorists. Can you guess who the face of their campaign is? Bella Hadid, a half-Palestinian woman who has spread antisemitism in the past and incited violence against Israelis and Jews. She and her father frequently promote blood libels and antisemitic conspiracies against Jews."
In response to the "Berliner Zeitung," Adidas issued the following statement: "We are aware that connections to tragic historical events have been established - even if they were completely unintentional - and we apologize for any inconvenience or distress caused. Therefore, we are revising the campaign. We believe in sport as a unifying force around the world and will continue our efforts to promote diversity and equality in all that we do."
This is not the first time Adidas has faced criticism for a marketing partnership. In 2022, the company ended its collaboration with musician Kanye West due to his antisemitic and racist remarks. According to a report by the "New York Times," the company in Herrsching had held on to him for years despite repeated incidents behind the scenes.
- Despite the controversy surrounding Bella Hadid's past accusations of antisemitism and support for Palestine, Adidas continues to feature her in their new campaign for the SL 72 OG shoe, originally designed for the 1972 Munich Olympics.
- The decision by Adidas to partner with Bella Hadid for their campaign has sparked renewed debates about antisemitism, given her involvement in pro-Palestine rallies and controversial social media posts.
- The partnership between Adidas and Bella Hadid in their new campaign echoes previous criticisms directed at the company, such as their collaboration with Kanye West, whose antisemitic and racist remarks eventually led to the end of their partnership.
