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Sports brand Adidas must be commended for terminating its contract with rapper Kanye West, also known as ‘Ye’, after the singer courted controversy for his antisemitic statements. Adidas said Kanye West’s comments against Jews were “unacceptable, hateful and dangerous”. It is also noteworthy that Adidas has decided to take a business hit in the process. Stopping the rapper’s ‘Yeezy’ branded products will cost the company a loss of up to $246 million for the current quarter. Other advertisers have stood up against celebrities in the past too. In 2013, the US’ Food Network dropped celebrity chef Paula Deen after the food specialist admitted to using racial slurs. In 2009, Golfer Tiger Woods lost dozens of endorsements after he went public on his uncontrolled infidelity.
Double-speak by celebrities can be even more dangerous. When the death of George Floyd at the hands of a US police officer sparked a movement against racism—Black Lives Matter—many Bollywood stars, including Priyanka Chopra, Sonam Kapoor and Deepika Padukone, expressed their support on social media. However, many of them had been endorsing beauty products that claim to enhance ‘skin fairness’. By socially promoting fair skin as superior to dark complexions, aren’t we subtly promoting racism? Millions worship celebrities, be it actors, sportspersons or TV personalities. By identifying their products and brands with these celebrities, companies work up a sales strategy through the aspirational value associated with using these products. The larger-than-life image of celebrities thus has to be carefully used. Institutional checks and balances need to be in place so that celebrities and advertisers don’t post socially harmful and regressive messages.
In the case of Kanye West, it was Adidas that acted first. What happens when the advertiser pushes patently wrong or misleading messages? Say, a refrigerator that claims it will last 100 years? In 2019, the government brought the Consumer Protection Act to make celebrities liable for their endorsements. This June, the Department of Consumer Affairs notified a set of guidelines making it mandatory for celebrities to do their due diligence before endorsing brands. The problem is that deterrence is missing. Fines have to run into crores of rupees, and the implementation machinery has to be rigorous. An ethical stand by celebrities will also work wonders. For example, Sachin Tendulkar steadfastly refused to support any tobacco product.
Double-speak by celebrities can be even more dangerous. When the death of George Floyd at the hands of a US police officer sparked a movement against racism—Black Lives Matter—many Bollywood stars, including Priyanka Chopra, Sonam Kapoor and Deepika Padukone, expressed their support on social media. However, many of them had been endorsing beauty products that claim to enhance ‘skin fairness’. By socially promoting fair skin as superior to dark complexions, aren’t we subtly promoting racism? Millions worship celebrities, be it actors, sportspersons or TV personalities. By identifying their products and brands with these celebrities, companies work up a sales strategy through the aspirational value associated with using these products. The larger-than-life image of celebrities thus has to be carefully used. Institutional checks and balances need to be in place so that celebrities and advertisers don’t post socially harmful and regressive messages.
In the case of Kanye West, it was Adidas that acted first. What happens when the advertiser pushes patently wrong or misleading messages? Say, a refrigerator that claims it will last 100 years? In 2019, the government brought the Consumer Protection Act to make celebrities liable for their endorsements. This June, the Department of Consumer Affairs notified a set of guidelines making it mandatory for celebrities to do their due diligence before endorsing brands. The problem is that deterrence is missing. Fines have to run into crores of rupees, and the implementation machinery has to be rigorous. An ethical stand by celebrities will also work wonders. For example, Sachin Tendulkar steadfastly refused to support any tobacco product.
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