Will Adidas drop Kanye? Exploring all of his scrapped deals
Sportswear giant Adidas received a massive backlash on Monday as netizens demanded the brand cut ties with Kanye West (Ye) after he posted a series of anti-Semitic outbursts on Twitter. Human rights activists expressed disappointment in the German brand for its continued silence over comments by West. Let's analyze what Adidas would do and look at the other brands that parted ways with West.
Why does this story matter?
- The artist was associated with Nike for years before he broke up with the brand in 2013. He got associated with Adidas as they jointly launched their first Yeezy shoe together back in 2015—a partnership that contributed largely to making West the billionaire that he is.
- Besides other celebrities like Beyonce, Pharrell Williams, and Stella McCartney, West has been a frequent collaborator with Adidas.
How did Adidas react to West's 'White Lives Matter' shirt?
To recall, Adidas's founders had ties with Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party. Weeks ago, the brand announced it was reviewing its relationship with West after he appeared at a Paris fashion show wearing a shirt with the slogan "White Lives Matter." For the unversed, the infamous, "hateful," and controversial phrase is a reaction to the Black Lives Matter movement in the United States.
West's allegations against Adidas
Their relationship also saw a strain after West reportedly got irked with the brand's strategies to market his products. He accused the brand of bringing back old styles without approval and organizing a "Yeezy Day" with no involvement from him. But for West's recent comments that were allegedly anti-Jew, the brand did not issue any statements or a plan of action.
Brands, agencies, production houses that cut ties with West
One of Hollywood's biggest talent agencies, CAA, said that it was dropping its association with West. Film and TV producer MRC announced its decision to drop the already completed documentary on West. Last week, Paris-based fashion luxury brand Balenciaga parted ways with the rapper, too. Meanwhile, his ex-wife Kim Kardashian sided against West by putting out a tweet—without mentioning West—against hate crimes.
