adidas' brand sentiments plummet after dropping model Bella Hadid for Palestinian support

Athletic apparel and footwear brand adidas' brand sentiments have plummeted after it dropped fashion model Bella Hadid from its latest sneaker campaign.

According to media intelligence firm CARMA, the brand saw over 400% jump in negative social media conversations. It's sentiments currently stand at 8.9% positive and 45.5% negative. Before dropping Hadid, it was 35% positive and 8% negative, CARMA told MARKETING-INTERACTIVE.

Online, users criticised adidas for what they perceive as bowing to political pressure, which in turn amplified calls for a boycott of the brand, said CARMA. 

Don't miss: It's a woke world: How can brands manage brand image while taking a stand?

adidas' decision sparked controversy online, most of which interestingly, was driven by more netizens in the West than the East. USA leads the conversation with 38.8% while Spain and France come in at 11% and 6.6% respectively. 

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%. 

Of the conversations held on X, the most influential tweets showcased support for Hadid while criticising adidas. Users have shown support to Hadid for her influence on fashion trends and the model's personal belief on Palestine, said CARMA.

Others have commented on how adidas' financials have dropped since dropping the model. Only a small percentage criticised both adidas and Hadid. 

In addition, Gen-Z and millennials drove the conversation with 45% of them being aged between 25 to 34, and 38% of them being between the ages of 18 and 24. 

Only 12% of the conversation were driven by 35- to 44-year-olds and an even smaller 4% were from 45 to 54-year-olds. Those aged 55 and above only made up 1% of the conversation on social media. 

News of adidas dropping Hadid first came to light on Sunday, 21 July in an Instagram story. The brand said that the connections between the Munich Olympics and its recent SL72 campaign were “unintentional”. 

The brand then apologised for any upset or distress caused to communities around the world. It also apologised to its partners Hadid, A$AP Nast and Jule Kounde for the negative impact inflicted on them, citing that it would revise the campaign.

The move comes as the official Israeli X account criticised the choice of Hadid being used due to her pro-Palestinian stance and noted that 11 Israeli athletes had been killed by Palestinian attackers at the Munich Games.

The account also roped in her father saying the duo “frequently promote blood libels and antisemitic conspiracies against Jews”. The American Jewish Committee called the campaign an “egregious error” that was either “a massive oversight or intentionally inflammatory”.

Journalist Mehdi Hasan said Hadid had nothing in common with the 1972 terrorists, and that the outcry towards the campaign was "straight-up anti-Palestinian racism and bigotry."

According to dailymail and TMZ, the half-Palestinian model has since hired legal counsel to take action against adidas for its reported lack of public accountability.

Meanwhile, the American-born fashion model continues to voice her support for Palestine. Journalist Sulaiman Ahmed posted a video of Hadid at an event, saying: “By now, many of you know that I support the Palestinian cause, very very passionately.” She was also seen at pro-Palestinian protests in early 2021 according to CNN. 

Gear up for the most captivating PR conference of the year! #PRAsia #Singapore & #Malaysia returns, bringing you the tools and insights you need to dominate in this dynamic environment. Join over 100 industry leaders and experts for an action-packed program filled with insightful discussions and valuable takeaways.

Related articles: 
adidas drops Bella Hadid from ad following backlash and Israeli criticism
adidas reportedly opens probe into alleged large-scale bribery in China
adidas stirs up football frenzy in HK with outdoor activation