Adidas advertising campaign to promote new sports bras, which is 25 photos of naked female breasts, outraged social networks. It was not appreciated even by women who found a reason to complain about the quality of training tops, and men on Twitter suggested showing male genitals when advertising panties for clarity. I remembered five more not less high-profile scandals with advertising of sports brands. Ahead of the release of new sports bras, the German company Adidas launched an advertising campaign in which 25 photos of female breasts were published on one poster - of different sizes, skin colors and degrees of tightness.

“We believe that women's breasts of any shape and size deserve support and comfort. That's why there are 43 styles in our new line of sports bras, so that everyone can find the one that suits them,” reads the description of the advertising campaign.

The photos were published by the sports brand on the official Twitter and Instagram account without censorship. As the brand explained to FOX Business, the gallery was created without a blur to show "how diverse breasts are" and why proper support during training is so important. In response to a Twitter user, Adidas also said that the company wants to "celebrate the body in all its glory and proudly demonstrate how different we all are."

"The chest is a natural part of the anatomy," says another adidas post. "It's time to take the stigma off to enable future generations to thrive."

Journalist Seth Dillon from the Sacramento Bee responded by suggesting that the company post not only bare breasts, but also male and female genitals. “Your reason for showing breasts leaves you no reason not to post a fully nude body,” he wrote on Twitter. One of the users decided to expand on this topic and asked: “Will you show us penises (circumcised and uncircumcised) in different shapes and sizes for buying a set of panties / boxers?” Another asked for a photo of the feet when buying socks because people don't know what their feet look like.

It should be noted that there were far more dissatisfied people on Twitter than on Instagram, and mostly women who were worried that the bra sizes were still not enough and they did not support their breasts properly. And the men were quick to hint that minors also have access to the social network, who do not need to see women's bodies "in all their glory."

Of course, there were those who thanked Adidas for supporting body diversity and even equated the ad campaign with the international women's Free the Nipples movement. His goal was to repeal laws that prohibited women from appearing topless in public. According to representatives of the movement, this is an unfair double standard, because the male anatomy is similar to the female one, but men do not apply such restrictions.

In 2020, Adidas has already faced criticism of its advertising campaign, however, this time due to the lack of diversity and body positivity. Then the brand released a series of photos as part of the launch of the SH3-ro swimwear line called "My body is my swimming." Four girls took part in the shooting, each of whom shared her story of self-acceptance, but, according to social network users, this diversity was not enough to represent different body types.

“For many of us, it would be more effective if models of all shapes and sizes, with disabilities and scars on the body, along with beautiful bodies, were presented,” wrote one of the concerned people on Twitter.

Adidas is far from the only major sports brand to come under fire for advertising campaigns. Its main competitors Puma, Nike and Reebok are also not without their failures.

The Japanese boycotted Nike

In 2020, the Nike brand faced a backlash in Japan due to ads that allegedly highlighted racial discrimination in the country. The video, published by the sports brand, chronicled the lives of three footballers of mixed heritage. One of them was from Japan, and the inhabitants of this country are not used to openly discussing racial issues, while Nike, as it seemed to them, as if on purpose wanted to exaggerate the scale of discrimination and highlight this particular state. In Japan, they even threatened to boycott the brand's products.

"Many Japanese people don't like being told they need to change their views," the BBC quoted Japanese-American journalist Morley Robertson as saying. “But if a foreigner demonstrates a deep understanding of Japanese culture and Japanese norms, then the same Japanese who would otherwise be offended will be showered with praise.”By the way, Nike is not the only Western brand that has come under fire due to ignorance of Asian culture and consumer behavior. In 2019, French brand Dior was criticized for using a map of China without the island of Taiwan. Taiwan received a special status in the middle of the last century, but according to Beijing's official policy, the island is still considered a Chinese province.

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Running fans of literature criticized Puma

In 2017, a very young Kylie Jenner starred in an advertising campaign for Puma. She introduced new running clothes, although, as social media users noted, she had never been a professional athlete.

In social networks, they wrote that for advertising it was necessary to use a real athlete who can boast of achievements in running. Commentators also noted the fact that Jenner's figure cannot be called athletic - however, then she had not yet had time to enlarge her breasts and buttocks. There were those who stood up for the 19-year-old girl and suggested that she was not trying to portray herself as a track and field star, but only represented the image of a typical amateur runner.

Singer Selena Gomez was punished two years later for putting her feet on books in an advertising campaign for Puma, demonstrating new sneakers. On Twitter, she was immediately accused of disrespecting knowledge and scientific achievements. She was also condemned by Muslims and Hindus, noting how important books are in their religions.

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Reebok's feminist ad offended everyone

In 2019, the Reebok brand campaign launched in Russia caused a scandal, offending both men and women at the same time. The brand's marketers came up with a failed trick in the framework of the international campaign Be more human, trying to draw attention to the values ​​of feminism in a way too aggressive, according to the public, in a way.

The brand tried to show women involved in "male" sports and posted on Instagram promotional photos of MMA wrestler Yustyna Grachyk and European wrestling champion Anzhelika Pilyaeva under the hashtag #NIVKAKIERAMKI.

However, Zalina Marshenkulova, a feminist and founder of the Breaking Mad website, overshadowed the athletes, who became the author of the project and a participant in the campaign. Her photo was accompanied by the advertising slogan "Switch from the needle of male approval to the male face."

This slogan and some others were considered unacceptable not only by netizens, but also by the head office of Reebok, with which, according to its representatives, this was not agreed. As a result, the campaign urging women to do what they like and not give up what society considers not women's business ended before it really began.

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