Adidas Boycott Calls
Adidas Faces Boycott Calls Over Campaign Featuring Israeli Soldier
Anonymous
Key Points
1
Adidas Israel’s Single Shoe service had been available since January and was explicitly described as an effort to improve footwear access for people with a limb difference.
2
Shalev Biton said the initiative fulfilled a personal need after he repeatedly had to buy full pairs of running shoes despite using only one; announcing the campaign on August 26, he wrote that his “dream has come true” and concluded, “Now, all that remains is to go out and run.”
3
Critics have also pointed to Biton’s social-media posts showing himself and other Israeli soldiers in Gaza singing and dancing, as well as images of him carrying weapons, as further context for their objection to his role in the campaign.
4
Adidas’ earlier controversy involved a 2024 campaign for its SL72 trainers featuring Palestinian-American model Bella Hadid; after criticism and Hadid’s threat of legal action, the company apologized and withdrew or revised the campaign.
5
The United Nations reported in July that at least 20,179 children had been killed and 44,143 injured in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, since October 7, 2023, according to the account cited by Dawn.
Adidas is facing boycott calls after featuring Israeli soldier Shalev Biton in a campaign for its Single Shoe service, which allows customers to buy one shoe for half the price of a pair Inshorts. Biton lost his left leg during Israel's 2021 military operation in Gaza and announced the initiative on August 26, saying his "dream has come true" Inshorts. Critics argue the company shouldn't promote an inclusivity campaign through a soldier linked to military operations, especially given the large number of Palestinian amputees from the Gaza war New Arab.
A Campaign Designed for Amputees Turns Controversial
Adidas launched its Single Shoe service in Israel in January to help people with limb differences access footwear more affordably Inshorts. Biton, an IDF veteran wounded in an anti-tank missile attack near Gaza, said he repeatedly bought full pairs of running shoes despite needing only one YNet News. By featuring him as the campaign face, Adidas connected an inclusivity initiative directly to a soldier associated with Israel's military operations Dialogue Pakistan.
Activists Point to Biton's Social Media Posts
Boycott calls intensified after critics highlighted Biton's social media content showing Israeli soldiers singing, dancing, and carrying weapons in Gaza Press TV. Activists and public figures, including writer Fatima Bhutto and sports journalist Leyla Hamed, have urged consumers to abandon the brand New Arab. The posts raised questions about whether promoting a soldier with such imagery was appropriate for a campaign meant to celebrate inclusivity and accessibility Press TV.
Massive Toll on Palestinian Children in Gaza
The United Nations reported that at least 20,179 Palestinian children have been killed and 44,143 injured in the Occupied Palestinian Territory since October 7, 2023 Dawn. Many Palestinians have suffered amputations and other severe injuries from the conflict, making a campaign centered on an Israeli soldier's prosthetic experience particularly sensitive to critics Inshorts. The scale of Palestinian casualties underscored the tension between celebrating one soldier's recovery and acknowledging widespread suffering in Gaza.
Adidas' History of Israeli-Palestinian Controversy
This is not Adidas' first clash over Israel-Palestine issues. In 2024, the brand faced criticism for a campaign featuring Palestinian-American model Bella Hadid YNet News. After Hadid threatened legal action and public backlash grew, Adidas apologized and withdrew or revised the campaign YNet News. The Biton controversy suggests the company continues struggling to navigate the geopolitical sensitivities surrounding its marketing choices.
Sentiment
Mostly NegativeNEGATIVENEUTRALPOSITIVE
Publishers
12
Articles
12
Reach
24
Topics
A
AnonymousAuthor
