Adidas' brand sentiment plummets after dropping Bella Hadid

Source: © Anne of Carversville Anne of Carversville Negative social media conversations on Adidas’ decision to drop supermodel Bella Hadid from its SL72 campaign have led to its brand sentiment plummeting

“Its sentiments currently stand at 8.9% positive and 45.5% negative. Before dropping Hadid, it was 35% positive and 8% negative,” media intelligence firm Carma told Marketing-Interactive.

It quotes Carma, “Online, users criticised Adidas for what they perceive as bowing to political pressure, which in turn amplified calls for a boycott of the brand.”

The online controversy was driven by the West, rather than the East.

“The US leads the conversation with 38.8% while Spain and France come in at 11% and 6.6% respectively.

“The UK comes after at 4.2%, with Brazil following behind at 3.8%. Indonesia and China round out the list with 1.8% and 0.1%,” says Carma.

It found that on X “the most influential tweets showcased support for Hadid while criticising Adidas.

According to Carma, Marketing-Interactive says users were supportive of Hadid “for her influence on fashion trends and the model's personal belief on Palestine.”

It found that only a small percentage criticised both Adidas and Hadid.

On social media, the conversation was driven by Gen-Z and millennials.

• 45% of them are between 25 to 34 years old
  
• 38% of them are between 18 and 24 years old
  
• 12% of them are between 35- to 44-year-olds
  
• 4% of them are between 45 to 54-year-olds
  
• 1% of them are between 55 and above

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Public apology

Meanwhile, Adidas has publicly apologised not once but twice. It has apologised to Hadid on Instagram which was reported by various media including Global News.

“Adidas has issued an apology to supermodel Bella Hadid for the “negative impact” of a shoe campaign that paid tribute to the 1972 Munich Olympics.“

The full apology to Bella Hadid from Adidas Originals was posted on Instagram on July 21, 2024 on @adidasoriginals.

Hadid has not commented publicly on either of the statements from Adidas.

US Weekly reported Hadid has contacted lawyers to potentially take legal action against Adidas.

“US Weekly has learned that Hadid has retained litigation counsel to take action against Adidas “for their lack of public accountability” for putting out a campaign that “would associate anyone with the death and violence of what took place at the 1972 Munich Games,” explained the insider, noting the responsibility of corporations to properly vet their [own] campaigns and the historical events surrounding them,” says the publication.

An unintentional mistake

The week before the brand had apologised for “any upset or distress caused,” and that any connections to “tragic historical events”, referring to the Munich Olympics, were “unintentional.”

“Connections continue to be made to the terrible tragedy that occurred at the Munich Olympics due to our recent SL72 campaign,” the statement reads. “These connections are not meant and we apologise for any upset or distress caused to communities around the world.”

It called the connections “an unintentional mistake.”

It said that, as a result, it would be revising the remainder of the campaign.