Zara’s Insensitive Campaign Has Put Them Into Crisis
A Social Media Crisis Study Case of Zara’s Campaign Resembling Gaza Devastation
On December 7, 2023, Zara launched its social media campaign “The Jacket”. The campaign was photographed by Tim Walker and featured model Kristen McMenamy, who posed in the middle of a white room with a messy art workspace background. In an all-black ensemble, McMenamy held a mannequin covered with thin white fabric on her shoulder.
This campaign was launched in the middle of the destruction that happened in Gaza by Israel as a subsequent retaliation to the Hamas attack in Southern Israel on October 7. Many people who stand for Gaza have boycotted brands who support Israel as there are no signs that Israel will end soon, even until the date this article is written.
People immediately associated the campaign with photos of dead bodies in Gaza. The mannequin held by McMenamy looks very similar to a dead body covered by Islamic burial attire, which is also a method used by Muslims in Gaza. It is definitely an insensitive move from Zara to keep launching the campaign when thousands of children in Gaza were deadly attacked. Some people even believe that Zara did this intentionally to mock Palestinians. Boycotts on Zara started to arise after that, following other Israel-related brands.
When this campaign was launched, my first attention also fell on the mannequin, which, in my opinion, indeed looked like a dead body in Islamic burial attire. As a Muslim, I felt pretty disturbed by it. I was not really shocked that Zara did this, though. However, I think Zara can be more aware of global issues that might influence its brand perception and sales. They can’t blame the issue for happening as it is a big issue happening worldwide. Instead, they have the choice of whether to launch the campaign.
It’s Not My Fault, It’s Your Misunderstanding
Zara responded to the comments on the campaign 5 days later through an Instagram post. They said that the campaign had been developed 5 months before launch. The mannequin itself was presented with the sole aim of showcasing artistic context. They considered the audience to have misunderstood the meaning of the campaign.
The campaign images have been removed. However, Zara didn’t acknowledge that the mistake was on their side. I think it is not a wise move, especially because it feels like they’re blaming the customers for misunderstanding the message. When the customers falsely get the message, the brand is the one to blame. Even though the audience might not change their mind if they did, Zara might still have the chance to maintain their reputation by apologizing.
They Apparently Never Learned From Their Mistake
This is not Zara’s first time having a campaign blunder alluding to social and religious issues. In 2014, they faced controversy due to their kids' shirt release. It was a tight blue-striped shirt with a six-pointed yellow star on the left chest. People referred to it as the six-pointed Stars of David that Jewish people were forced to wear during the Nazi occupation of Europe and in concentration camps.
However, their response was different from the one delivered on what happened with The Jacket campaign. They apologized for the design error and stopped selling the T-shirt. This kind of considerate action should also be taken regarding their current issue.
What do you think about it? Do you think that this crisis should be managed better? Write your opinion in the comment box below!
Stay connected,
Annisa
