BLACKPINK’s Jennie is facing calls from some international fans to cut ties with Adidas as a separate Israeli campaign by the sportswear brand sparks boycott calls.
The backlash reached Jennie after campaign images for her first co-designed Adidas collection were released on September 7th. Some fans and social media users flooded posts related to the singer with comments urging her to “leave this brand,” while others used the hashtag #BoycottAdidas.
Jennie’s “adidas Originals by JENNIE” collection marks her first time serving as a co-designer for the brand after years of appearing in its campaigns and working as an ambassador. Adidas announced the collaboration on August 28th, and the collection launched globally on September 1st.
The criticism surrounding Jennie’s collaboration comes amid a broader controversy over Adidas’ Single Shoe service campaign in Israel.
The service allows customers who need only one shoe to purchase a single shoe rather than a full pair. A local Israeli promotion featured athletes with disabilities, including former Israeli soldier Shalev Biton.
Pro-Palestinian activists criticized Adidas for featuring a former Israeli soldier in a campaign for amputees at a time when many civilians and children in Gaza have lost limbs in the war, calling the choice inappropriate. The controversy also fueled wider calls to boycott the brand.
As criticism grew, Adidas issued a statement on September 7th.
“We recognize that an image used in a recent local activation by the local team has raised concerns and strong reactions,” the brand wrote.
“It was never our intent to cause offense and we apologize for anyone affected. We acknowledge the concerns that have been raised and are taking the feedback seriously.”
Adidas stressed that the disputed promotion was created by its local team in Israel and was not a global campaign.
Jennie was not involved in the Israeli promotion. However, because her relationship with Adidas has recently expanded from ambassador to co-designer, the broader boycott campaign has now spilled over into reactions to her partnership with the brand.
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