Spanish multinational fashion company Zara has received complaints from British consumers who linked to one of its ads. the war in the middle east, While explaining that he withdrew it in order not to disturb anyone, he also noted that “The Jacket” campaign was “misunderstood”.
“Conceived in July and photographed in September, the campaign features a series of images of unfinished sculptures in a sculptor’s studio and was created for the sole purpose of showcasing artisanal clothing in an artistic context,” Zara said in a statement. said. his Instagram account.
The company adds that “unfortunately” some customers were disturbed by what they saw in these images “something that was very far from what was intended when they were created.”
The statement does not mention the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza. However, looking at the dates when the questioned images were created and photographed, it is clear that this was before the start of the war between Israel and Hamas following the attack carried out on Israeli territory by the armed wing of the Islamist movement on October 7.
As reported by a spokesperson for the UK Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) this Monday, “Nearly 50 complaints” were received There are many people who claim that the images in “Jacket” refer to the current conflict between Israel and Hamas and are “offensive”.
“While we are investigating these complaints, we emphasize that we are not currently investigating the ad itself and therefore cannot comment further,” he said.
After reviewing the complaints; ASA will decide whether to investigate the ad in question to determine whether it violates advertising standards.
Complaints in the UK relate to ‘The Jacket’ social media campaign, which features a model holding a mannequin wrapped in what appears to be white plastic and other limbless mannequins against a backdrop of ruins.
In many comments on the networks, images appeared to have been removed by the company. They remember those who died in Gaza after Israeli bombardment What happened after Hamas’ attack on Israel on October 7.
Some users called for a boycott of the products of the Spanish brand, which is part of the Inditex group based in Arteixo (A Coruña).
Last November, British company Marks & Spencer A Christmas advert had to be withdrawn after the ASA received 116 complaints over alleged links to the conflict.
In this ad, which the regulator ultimately determined did not violate any guidelines, typical paper Christmas wreaths in red, silver and green, resembling the Palestinian flag, were burning in a fireplace.