Last week adidas generated a huge buzz among the sneaker community with the relaunch of its ‘SL72’ shoe with a campaign starring Bella Hadid. The shoe was quickly dubbed as the new “It” sneaker. Things, however, quickly turned sour. The campaign, meant to celebrate and reintroduce the iconic sneakers that debuted at the 1972 Munich Olympics, has sparked a heated debate due to the shoes’ historical association with the tragic events that occurred during those games that resulted in the death of 11 Israeli athletes and a German police officer.
After the release of the campaign featuring Hadid, a vocal supporter of Palestinian causes, the German brand faced heavy online criticism from pro-Isreali groups. In response to the backlash, adidas pulled the ads and announced a review of the campaign. The company expressed regret, stating, “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.” This move sparked further online debate over the removal of Hadid from the campaign, with pro-Palestine groups calling for a boycott of adidas.
That’s not all; sources also suggest that Hadid is preparing for a legal battle against adidas, claiming the company has failed to take public accountability for the controversy. Despite rumors of her being dropped, it is being reported that Hadid remains under contract with the sportswear giant. Both adidas and Hadid have since removed the campaign from their social media accounts, leaving the future of their collaboration uncertain.
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