Adidas X Hadid Controversy, Yet Another Avoidable Marketing Mishap

Another week, another marketing mishap from a large brand. This time, it’s Adidas that screwed up by making Bella Hadid the face of their new retro sneaker. This spurred a huge backlash from the global Jewish community, leading Adidas to issue a public apology and announce revisions to the campaign. Wondering what’s so controversial about this campaign? Let’s break it down:

Why is the Adidas X Bella Hadid Campaign Controversial?

The retro sneaker is inspired by the 1972 Munich Olympics, remembered for the tragic massacre of 11 Israeli athletes by Palestinian terrorists. This is obviously a horrible moment in history, but it’s not the sole reason for the controversy.

Here’s where Adidas went wrong: they selected Bella Hadid as the face of the campaign. Hadid is a stunning and popular model who also happens to be a Palestinian-American known for her outspoken criticism of Israel and comments that many view as antisemitic.

This ignited a firestorm. The American Jewish Committee (AJC) condemned Adidas, labeling the campaign either a massive oversight or a deliberately provocative move. Many other Jewish organizations followed suit.

Why This is a HUGE Misstep for Adidas

Historical Insensitivity: The 1972 Munich Olympics is a deeply sensitive subject, especially for the Jewish community. Associating a product with such a tragic event requires careful consideration of all elements involved, including the choice of brand ambassadors. The lack of sensitivity to this historical context was seen as a major oversight by Adidas.

Poor Choice of Brand Ambassador: Bella Hadid’s vocal stance on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict makes her a controversial choice for this campaign. Her involvement is perceived as inflammatory, particularly by those who viewed it as disrespectful to the victims of the Munich massacre.

Current Climate: The war in Gaza following the October 7th massacre has led to a spike in anti-Jewish, anti-Israeli, and anti-Arab sentiments and crimes around the world. Tensions are high, and any brand viewed as supporting one camp versus another is sure to face scrutiny.

Corporate History: Adidas, a German company with historical ties to Nazism, must be particularly cautious about actions that could revive negative associations. This campaign brought those historical issues back into the spotlight, compounding the controversy.

Massive Oversight or a Deliberately Provocative Move?

An Adidas spokesperson confirmed this was an unfortunate oversight: “We are conscious that connections have been made to tragic historical events—though these are completely unintentional—and we apologize for any upset or distress caused.”

I believe it for two reasons.

First, Adidas cut ties with Kanye after his antisemitic rants, proving that they are actively avoiding any controversy that reignites connections to their company’s past involvement with anti-Jewish associations.

Second, as soon as the backlash began, Adidas swiftly apologized and committed to altering the campaign.

This also means that this whole mess could have been avoided.

I’ve already detailed the steps brands can take to safeguard their campaigns against controversy in my Bumble and Apple mishap review. But here’s a little refresher:

TEST YOUR CAMPAIGNS BEFORE ROLLING THEM OUT!

Clearly, major brands with plenty of resources are failing to do just that. So with that in mind, I would like to announce that MIM Marketing is now offering an evidently much-needed new service:

Introducing the Sensitivity Consultant for Marketing Campaigns

A sensitivity consultant is an expert who reviews content from the perspective of various cultural and demographic groups to ensure that it is respectful and accurate. They help identify stereotypes, misrepresentations, and other issues related to cultural, historical, and social sensitivities that might offend or alienate specific audiences. This practice, widely adopted in the literary world (known as sensitivity readers), aims to create more inclusive and thoughtful content. In the marketing world, this proactive measure can help prevent controversy and save brands from costly and damaging backlash.

We live in an ultra-sensitive world where even well-intentioned messages can be interpreted in unintended ways. Brands need to carefully consider the cultural and social implications of their advertising; missteps can mean wasted dollars at best and a damaged reputation at worst.

And a final work to Adidas? Do better!