Adidas Excludes Bella Hadid from Ad Campaign Amid Controversy
In a recent move, Adidas has removed supermodel Bella Hadid from their advertising campaign for running shoes inspired by the 1972 Munich Olympics. The decision comes after criticism from Israel for featuring Hadid in an ad for retro SL72 shoes, which were described as a “timeless classic.”
Bella Hadid’s Advocacy for Palestine
Bella Hadid, a 27-year-old model with Palestinian heritage, has been vocal in her support for the Palestinian cause, often criticizing the Israeli government. Following recent conflicts in Palestine, Hadid issued a statement on Instagram calling for the protection of civilians in Gaza and expressing condolences for the loss of innocent lives.
Adidas Apologizes and Adjusts Campaign
After facing backlash, Adidas issued an apology and announced that they would be modifying the remainder of the ad campaign. The company acknowledged the unintentional connection to tragic historical events and expressed their commitment to promoting diversity and equality in all their endeavors.
The decision to include Hadid in the campaign was met with criticism from the American Jewish Committee, who deemed it unacceptable to feature an openly anti-Israel model in a campaign tied to the Munich Olympics, where Israeli athletes were tragically killed by Palestinian terrorists.
Adidas has since deleted social media posts featuring Hadid and has continued the campaign with other prominent figures such as football player Jules Koundé, rapper A$AP Nast, musician Melissa Bon, and model Sabrina Lan.
As the controversy unfolds, Hadid has refrained from publicly addressing the situation, though a photo of her in Adidas apparel has been removed from her Instagram account.
