Major corporations have repeatedly drawn criticism for products and advertisements perceived as racially insensitive, culturally tone-deaf or otherwise controversial, often prompting swift corporate responses and measurable business impact.
Retailer Target removed a 2026 Halloween costume, "Kids' Glows Under Blacklight Circus Clown Halloween Costume," after social media backlash accused it of evoking blackface imagery. The controversy contributed to a decline in the company’s shares on the day of the backlash. Target had previously faced similar criticism in 2023 when it scaled back its LGBTQ-themed Pride Collection merchandise following customer backlash, citing employee safety concerns.
Starbucks’ South Korean unit suffered a "very significant" sales decline earlier in 2026 after a marketing campaign appeared to reference the 1980 Gwangju Uprising, a violent military crackdown on student-led protests. The incident led to the dismissal of the head of Starbucks Korea. American Eagle’s 2025 "Has Great Jeans" campaign featuring Sydney Sweeney drew social media criticism over alleged racial undertones, though the company later described it as a success in expanding its customer base.
Anheuser-Busch InBev’s partnership with transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney in 2023 sparked a conservative-led boycott of Bud Light, which fell from its longstanding position as America’s top-selling beer to second place behind Constellation Brands’ Modelo Especial. French fashion house Balenciaga faced apologies from its creative director and CEO in 2022 following two separate advertising campaigns that drew widespread condemnation.
Luxury brand Gucci withdrew a black balaclava-style sweater in early 2019 after critics likened the design to blackface imagery. Fashion group H&M apologized and removed a 2018 advertisement featuring a black child modelling a sweatshirt with the slogan "Coolest Monkey in the Jungle," a campaign that drew criticism from figures including The Weeknd and LeBron James.
PepsiCo’s 2017 commercial featuring Kendall Jenner joining a protest and handing a police officer a can of Pepsi drew accusations of trivializing social justice movements; the company pulled the ad within 24 hours and issued an apology. Unilever’s Dove brand faced repeated controversies, including a 2017 advertisement showing a black woman transforming into a white woman in a body wash commercial, and a 2011 campaign featuring a black woman in a "before" image and a white woman in an "after" image.
Spanish retailer Zara removed a children’s striped top in 2014 after outrage over its resemblance to Holocaust prisoner uniforms, and PepsiCo’s Mountain Dew faced criticism in 2013 for an advertisement developed by Tyler, the Creator that critics said reinforced racial stereotypes and trivialized violence against women. In each case, companies either removed the products or campaigns or issued public apologies in response to the backlash.
The recurring theme across these incidents highlights the financial and reputational risks brands face when campaigns or products are perceived as culturally insensitive, with outcomes ranging from immediate product removals to long-term shifts in consumer sentiment and market position.
