Adidas faces backlash, boycott for removing Bella Hadid from campaign
Date
7/23/2024 8:47:51 AM
(MENAFN) Adidas, the renowned German sportswear company, is currently facing significant backlash and mounting calls for a boycott following their decision to remove American-Palestinian model Bella Hadid from a recent advertising campaign. This decision came after receiving criticism from Israel. The campaign in question featured a retro shoe design referencing the 1972 Munich Olympics, and Hadid, known for her outspoken support for Palestinian rights, was subsequently dropped.
In response to this incident, Bella Hadid has reportedly retained a legal team, as reported by a British newspaper, which cites sources close to the situation. On Sunday, Adidas issued an apology for "any upset or distress caused" by the campaign, but this did little to quell the growing discontent among Hadid’s supporters and social media users.
Social media has become a hotbed of activity, with users rallying in defense of Hadid and calling for a boycott of Adidas products. One user proclaimed, “Bella Hadid is a hero! Hope @adidas will suffer from boycotting,” while another expressed, “Sorry guys, not buying Adidas because of their gutless treatment of Bella Hadid.” A more impassioned comment read, “After the Bella Hadid case, we will say bye @adidas. Those who encourage genocide criminals shouldn’t get any coin from our money won honestly. Arabs and pro-Palestinian boycott is being an earthquake on Starbucks and McDonald's...Adidas, adios!”
British political commentator Sami Hamdi, in an interview with a Turkish news agency, highlighted the effectiveness of boycotts on other companies perceived to support Israel amidst its offensive on the Gaza Strip. Hamdi pointed out that brands like McDonald’s, Starbucks, and KFC are already feeling the impact of boycott movements in Muslim-majority countries, leading to the closure of several branches. He noted that there are similar calls to boycott Adidas in the same manner.
Sami Al-Arian, a Palestinian activist and director of the Center for Islam and Global Affairs (CIGA) at Istanbul Zaim University, also spoke to the news agency about the issue. He accused Adidas of “targeting celebrities and famous people who support the Palestinian struggle.” Al-Arian suggested that the company might face significant financial repercussions as a result of this controversy, stating, “I think there could very well be a boycott against the products of Adidas in which they would have to learn this lesson in a hard way by targeting their profits because they have been preferring profits over principles.” He emphasized that the actions of Adidas and other multinational corporations have caused widespread outrage in the Arab and Muslim world for targeting pro-Palestinian and pro-boycott celebrities.
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