Adidas faces backlash over Munich Olympics ad with Bella Hadid
In an advertising campaign, Adidas referenced the Munich Olympics in 1972, and Bella Hadid was chosen as the model. After a wave of criticism, the brand apologized, but the model reportedly consulted with lawyers.
The Adidas brand recently launched an advertising campaign for the reissue of the classic SL 72 sports shoes, which first appeared during the Munich Olympics in 1972. Bella Hadid was the face of the project, and the brand posted the results of their collaboration on social media. However, the promotional campaign caused substantial controversy.
Adidas apologizes for the ad. Will Bella Hadid take legal action?
The brand's advertising activities were overshadowed by historical context, referencing the attack by the Palestinian terrorist group "Black September" that resulted in the death of 11 members of the Israeli team and one German police officer. The involvement of Hadid, who has Palestinian roots and has actively supported efforts to help Palestinians for years, also sparked controversy. CNN and other outlets reported on this issue.
Adidas faced a wave of criticism on social media, and the issue was mentioned on Israel's official Twitter account. Meanwhile, the American Jewish Committee called on the brand to fix its "huge oversight." The pro-Palestinian side, on the other hand, believes this is an attempt to discredit the model due to her heritage and views.
The criticism finally reached Adidas itself, which removed the posts featuring Hadid from their official profiles and issued a statement.
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 - the company conveyed, as quoted by NBC News.
At the same time, it assured that the rest of the campaign would be changed, and the brand hopes "to continue efforts to champion diversity and equality." The media noted, however, that although the posts featuring Hadid were removed from the brand's profiles, her picture still appeared on their website.
TMZ learned that the model is still bound by a contract with Adidas despite the scandal. It was also revealed how Hadid herself allegedly reacted to the scandal. TMZ claims she has already hired lawyers and plans to assert her rights in court. The model believes Adidas did not take full responsibility for the commotion caused and that it is because of them that she is now being portrayed in a negative light.
