It is common to see some well-known faces partnering up with brands for their collection or working together in some way. However, a collaboration that shook the world was when Kanye West and Adidas partnered up together to create the Yeezy collection.
The Yeezy collection has done well. Yet, the recent slit between Adidas and Kanye surprised everyone. Although, there have been many brand and celebrity partnerships that have broken down over the years.
In this article, we will discuss what happened between Adidas and Kanye West.
Brands Working With Celebrities
Commonly, a brand may think that working with a well-known name will only provide them with benefits. However, if the partnership doesn’t go well this can have long-lasting consequences.
Josh from Captain Creps has explored the danger that a lot of brands face when they do get into a partnership with celebrities. When a high-profile collaboration fails, this is a big problem. Josh states that “potential partners, investors, and consumers may become cautious about engaging with the brand in the future.”
Thus, a “failed collaboration can have long-term repercussions”, as Josh explains. Yet, it also affects the brand’s reputation and the associated campaign or product.
Consequently, brands put a lot of faith that they are partnering with the right people.
What Happened Between Adidas And Kanye West?
Recently Kanye West has been making bold and quite controversial comments about certain things. As a result of this, he has been seen to be dropped from several brands and partnerships. Mainly because brands don’t want to be associated with the comments that West is making.
The Adidas and Kanye West collaboration was truly ionic. Forbes looked into this partnership, and it is believed that Kanye West generated around $200 million a year from this collaboration. However, on the 19th of May 2023, Adidas released a statement expressing they were selling off the last Yeezy items.
A huge portion of the sales was to be donated to charities that attempt to fight anti-Semitism and racism in light of Kanye West’s most recent remarks. This was seen as the final act of this once-great partnership.
It is thought that Adidas lost around $540 million due to the breakdown of this collaboration.
Other Noteworthy Failed Collaborations
Kyabe West and Adidas might be the most recent and well-failed collaboration right now. However, there have been other failed collaborations to keep in mind.
These collaborations failed for different reasons, but all of them had slightly different effects on the brand involved. The following are the most noteworthy failed collaborations you need to be aware of:
Pepsi And Kendall Jenner
Pepsi produced a Kendall Jenner starring ad in 2017 to reach a more socially conscious audience. However, the $5 million ad was dropped when it received harsh criticism for its tone-deaf treatment of social concerns.
This then resulted in an 8% decline in adults who would consider purchasing Pepsi due to this ad. As a result, Pepsi lost not only money but customers due to this ad and partnership.
Target And Chrissy Teigen
Target dropped Chrissy Teigen’s cookware line, “Cravings,” in 2021 as a result of the public controversy surrounding the star. The connection started well, but it ended poorly, showing the danger companies incur when they associate their brand with a celebrity’s reputation.
The amount of money the company lost because of the relationship is unknown. Although, it is proving tough to sell the cookware, even with several items being offered at steep discounts.
Accenture, Gatorade And AT&T, And Tiger Woods
Tiger Woods lost the support of numerous significant sponsors in 2009 involving Accenture, Gatorade, and AT&T. This was after a highly publicized personal controversy.
According to reports, the incident resulted in a $12 billion reduction in the total value to shareholders of the businesses that supported him.
Final Thoughts
To help make a brand stand out they may wish to partner up with a high-profile name or celebrity. However, brands need to be careful who they partner with as this can have an effect on their own business in the future. The most well-known example of this is the collaboration between Adidas and Kanye West.
Due to the comments West has made, the last pieces of the Yeezy collection have been sold and the profit given to charities.
We hope this article has been insightful. Hopefully, you now have a clearer idea of what happened to cause the Adidas and Kanye West split.
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