Fashion retailer Zara has said it ‘regrets’ a controversial advertising campaign which has been accused of resembling images from the Israel-Gaza war.
It has pulled all remaining images across its social channels following days of backlash on social media, calls for a boycott and complaints to the UK’s advertising watchdog.
Titled ‘The Jacket’, the campaign – which ran across social media, on Zara’s website and in some stores – featured models posing alongside a number of mannequins with missing limbs and wrapped in white plastic, surrounded by rubble.
Critics described the images as “tone deaf advertising”, claiming they resembled photographs which have been released from within Gaza following the Israeli bombing.
An official statement from Zara read: “Unfortunately, some customers felt offended by these images, which have now been removed, and saw in them something far from what was intended when they were created.
“Zara regrets that misunderstanding and we reaffirm our deep respect towards everyone.”
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Zara has since removed the images for the Atelier campaign from both its website and app. However, many of the photographs in question – along with the comments calling for a boycott – can still be seen on its official Instagram account.
Inditex, which owns Zara, said the Atelier collection was designed in July, with photos taken in September; weeks before the war between Israel and Hamas began.
The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) told the BBC it had received 50 complaints about the social media campaign, while tens of thousands of comments were posted on Zara’s Instagram account and ‘#BoycottZara’ was trending on X/Twitter.
“Complainants argue that the imagery references the current Israel-Hamas conflict and is offensive,” said the ASA spokesperson, who said the ASA was reviewing the complaints but not investigating the advert.
The strength of the reaction across social media and beyond highlights the difficulties faced by brands. Last month, Marks & Spencer came under fire on two separate occasions for its Christmas ad campaign, which was accused of being ‘anti-Palestine’, despite being filmed over the summer.
