Adidas’s Kanye West PR headache takes a toll on its reputation
Figures from YouGov show that sports giant’s slow response to ending partnership with musician has impacted its reputation among key 18-34-year-old demographic.
Kanye West pictured with Adidas's brand chief
Adidas was put under a harsh spotlight last month after Ye – the musician formerly known as Kanye West – made a series of offensive and antisemitic comments. While brands including Balenciaga, Gap and JP Morgan Chase were quick to cut ties and Twitter blocked him from the platform, Adidas stewed on the decision for over two weeks before ending its lucrative partnership.
The inaction led to #boycottadidas trending on social and drew the fury of its own staff. As PR crisis experts warned that damage to its reputation might take time to recover, new data from YouGov suggests the brand has taken a hit among its core demographic.
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Figures seen by The Drum show its ‘Reputation’ score – which gauges whether people would be proud to work for said brand – suffered a pronounced drop both among 18-34-year-olds and the general public in the aftermath of the PR calamity.
Likewise, its ‘Buzz’ score – whether people have heard something positive or negative about the brand – fell most sharply among 18-34-year-olds, sinking 5.1 points as it hit headlines internationally. However, its score almost immediately bounced back to previous levels when its chief executive made a statement renouncing its tie-up with Ye.
In more positive news for Adidas, its ‘Consideration’ score – whether people would consider buying from this brand when they are next in the market – saw no discernible impact among 18-34-year-olds. In fact, there was a noticeable uptick among that age group after it made its decision on October 25. 40% of this group said they’d consider buying Adidas at the start of October, compared with a high of 43.4% on October 27. This shift was not replicated among the population as a whole, however, where consideration has been on a downward trajectory since it hit headlines.
In a poll conducted by YouGov Survey Direct specifically about Adidas’s partnership with Ye, three in 10 people who tend to buy Adidas said they feel less favorable towards the brand because of it. Overall, 31% say they feel much less or somewhat less favorable. 55% said it has made no difference.
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37% of respondents agreed the brand had ended its partnership with Ye too late, while 35% said it ended it at about the right time, 4% said it was too soon and 25% didn’t know.
Overall, the lasting brand damage looks to be minimal. The overwhelming majority (76%) said a past connection to Ye made no difference to whether they were likely to buy from the brand in future. 19% said they were less likely to buy.