Adidas CEO Bjorn Gulden offered a nuanced perspective on the company’s severed partnership with Kanye West during a recent podcast interview.
West, now known as Ye, sparked widespread backlash last year for making anti-Semitic comments and wearing apparel associated with hate groups. This led Adidas to end its lucrative Yeezy collaboration in October 2022.
While condemning Ye’s offensive remarks, Gulden avoided outright condemnation of the artist himself. “I don’t think Kanye meant what he said,” Gulden stated. “I don’t think he’s a bad person, it just came across that way.”
Gulden recognized Ye as “one of the most creative people in the world” in both music and fashion. He praised the Yeezy line as among the “most successful collabs” ever, costing Adidas over $400 million in lost sales after its discontinuation.
At the same time, Gulden acknowledged the responsibility of companies to distance themselves from hate speech. “When you work with third parties that could happen and it’s part of the game,” he said. “That can happen with an athlete, it can happen with an entertainer, so it’s part of the business.”
Ye first elicited outrage in October 2022 after sharing anti-Semitic views and conspiracy theories in interviews. This included threats against Jewish people that prompted Twitter to lock his account.
According to former associates, Ye had espoused pro-Hitler and pro-Nazi views as early as 2018. But his recent rants represented a tipping point, with Adidas, Gap, and other partners promptly severing ties.
While Ye offered a qualified apology for some remarks, he largely stood by his comments. He continued courting controversy in early 2023 by featuring “White Lives Matter” apparel at a fashion show.
The backlash has caused Ye to lose billionaire status as his business empire crumbled. Yet Gulden maintains a nuanced view, denouncing the remarks while exhibiting reluctance to outright vilify the artist.
Gulden’s balanced perspective underscores the complexities of the situation. Longtime partners like Adidas must condemn hate speech. But separating the art from the artist remains a difficult line to walk.
By calling out the harmful comments without passing full judgement on Ye himself, Gulden tried to walk that line. It exemplifies the tricky territory companies now navigate with celebrity partnerships turned controversial.
Though Adidas severed ties, Gulden’s remarks suggest lingering respect for Ye’s creative vision. It provides an interesting case study on navigating reputation crises while resisting snap judgements. The full fallout remains unfolding, but Gulden’s input offers an important vantage point.
Source: Forbes
