Zara removed its "The Jacket" ad campaign after receiving heavy criticism. The issue in its advertisement effort started after people began noticing that it resembled the Israel-Hamas war.
A woman walks past the logo of a re-opened Zara clothes shop at Colombo shopping center in Lisbon on April 19, 2021. - Portugal today rolled back coronavirus measures, including reopening shopping centers, high schools, and universities and allowing indoor dining, after new infections eased off.
Because of this, many consumers decided to encourage other individuals to boycott the Spain-based international clothing brand. After removing the images of The Jacket advertisement, Zara also posted an official apology to the public on Tuesday, Dec. 12.
However, instead of easing the tension, the apology letter of Zara disappointed many people. Here are other details about the ongoing ad campaign scandal of Zara.
Zara Removes 'The Jacket' Ad Campaign
According to BBC News' latest report, the recent The Jacket ad campaign of Zara featured a model holding a mannequin. What makes this advertisement unusual is that the mannequin is covered in white plastic.
Aside from this, the model was also standing with damaged statues and other wreckages in the background. Inditex, the owner of the Spanish clothing chain, said that this peculiar ad campaign is a part of their effort to refresh their content.
The Jacket, which is a part of Zara's Atelier series, was conceived in July; its photos were taken in September, which is around a month before the deadly Hamas attack on Oct. 7, as reported by Reuters.
Despite the explanation of the clothing brand's owner, many netizens were disappointed with The Jacket's photos. Because of this, the #BoycottZara is now trending on Twitter, Instagram, and other social media platforms.
Due to the major criticisms it received, Zara decided to take down all the photos of The Jacket as well as the ad campaign itself.
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Zara's Apology Worsens the Scandal
A person holds a ZARA shopping bag on October 21, 2021, in Berlin, Germany. Retailers have voiced concern that the current disruption in global supply chains might well lead to shortages of merchandise for the upcoming Christmas shopping season. In Germany, consumers have been urged to start their Christmas shopping season, especially early this year.
Via its official Instagram account, Zara posted an apology letter to address the criticisms it faces because of The Jacket ad campaign. It explained that the advertisement was created with the sole purpose of presenting craftmade garments in an artistic context.
"Unfortunately, some customers felt offended by these images, which have been removed, and saw in them something far from what was intended when they were created," added the Spanish clothing firm.
Zara further stated that it regrets the misunderstanding and reaffirms deep respect towards its consumers and other people who were disappointed.
However, many netizens said that the statements made by Zara sound like it is blaming people for not understanding the ad campaign's message.
Some of them even said that Zara seems to be angry at them and is just making excuses for its insensitive ad campaign.
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