The troubling Third Reich history of Adidas's founders should have compelled the company to be the first - not the last - to cut ties with Kanye West after the rapper's antisemitic outbursts
As a friend said, “Adidas could have owned this moment.” It’s a public company and the Dassler family has not been in charge for 30 years. They could have used it to distance Adidas forever from its founders while burnishing its current day credentials as a firm that will not tolerate hate. And since it was such a lucrative relationship, Adidas carried a lot of weight on whether Kanye would survive with a slap on the wrist or be shunned. All they had to do was be first, not last.
As a friend said, “Adidas could have owned this moment.” It’s a public company and the Dassler family has not been in charge for 30 years. They could have used it to distance Adidas forever from its founders while burnishing its current day credentials as a firm that will not tolerate hate. And since it was such a lucrative relationship, Adidas carried a lot of weight on whether Kanye would survive with a slap on the wrist or be shunned. All they had to do was be first, not last.
WOW, amazing article. Gerald, you are absolutely correct. They should have been the first to Right the wrongs of the companies past.
Maybe the news was slow to travel to Deutschland? But still no excuse. Great article, Gerald.👍