Major Brands Hit by Backlash Over Controversial Campaigns and Products
Recent Brand Controversies and Their Fallout
Aug 25 (Reuters) - Backlash over a Halloween costume sold by Target spilled into the retailer's shares on Tuesday, drawing fresh attention to a string of similar controversies that have plagued global brands over cultural missteps.
Here are some examples:
Target
Kids' Glows Under Blacklight Circus Clown Halloween Costume
Controversy and Fallout
Critics said it evoked Blackface and minstrel shows, prompting backlash on social media. The retailer apologized and pulled the product from stores. Some consumers said it resembled a racist caricature.
Starbucks
Marketing Campaign in Early 2026
Controversy and Fallout
The coffee chain's South Korean unit suffered what the company described as a "very significant" decline in sales, prompting the dismissal of the head of Starbucks Korea. The campaign appeared to reference the brutal military crackdown on the student-led Gwangju Uprising of 1980.
American Eagle
Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans' Ad Campaign in 2025
Controversy and Fallout
The campaign drew backlash on social media over perceived racial undertones tied to genetic traits, though the company later called it a success, saying it had helped expand its customer base.
Target
2023 'Pride Collection'
Controversy and Fallout
Customer backlash prompted the retailer to remove some LGBTQ-themed merchandise from stores, with the company saying the move was intended to protect employee safety.
Anheuser-Busch InBev's Bud Light
Social Media Promotion with Dylan Mulvaney in 2023
Controversy and Fallout
A conservative backlash toppled Bud Light from its long-held perch as America's best-selling beer, handing the crown to Constellation Brands' Modelo Especial.
Balenciaga
Advertising Campaigns in 2022
Controversy and Fallout
A backlash over the campaign prompted apologies from the French fashion house's creative director and chief executive officer.
Gucci
Black Balaclava-Style "Blackface" Sweater Introduced in Early 2019
Controversy and Fallout
Critics said the design evoked blackface imagery, prompting the company to withdraw the product and apologise.
H&M
Advertisement in 2018 Featuring a Black Child Modelling a Sweatshirt
Controversy and Fallout
The advertisement was criticised as racist, drawing condemnation from Canadian pop star The Weeknd and basketball star LeBron James. The fashion group
