Angela Rye Slams Adidas Ad Featuring Paul Pogba As Irresponsible

Adidas released a new ad for their Predator cleats, which features French soccer player Paul Pogba. The ad is Paul’s face with “Predator” at the bottom — there are no shoes in the ad. CNN commentator Angela Rye is calling out the ad for being irresponsible, writing on Instagram, “Do you understand that PREDATOR has a negative connotation particularly when we are talking about the perception of Black people in the world? This is irresponsible and NOT well thought out.” See below:

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And now @adidas…this is devastating. —>a lot of you are defending this ad by saying the soccer player pictured wears this line of cleats. Where’s the shoe? Do you understand that PREDATOR has a negative connotation particularly when we are talking about the perception of Black people in the world? This is irresponsible and NOT well thought out.

A post shared by A N G E L A | R Y E (@angelarye) on Jan 8, 2018 at 4:49pm PST

There is also a video version of the ad, which does feature the shoes:

Some folks didn’t seem to see an issue with the ad:

You guys cannot seriously be calling adidas racist cause of that predator thing

— Ari (@AriannaTheAngel) January 9, 2018

Pogba: “Hey Adidas, I’ve been wearing predators since I was a kid, I’d love to be a part of the new campaign”

Adidas: “Nah sorry, we can’t, some headass idiots will think we’re racist” https://t.co/1YtDZ0oQEb

— ٰ (@MahrezTouch) January 9, 2018

I feel dumb right now because I have no idea how the Adidas predator advert can be perceived as racist

— Nate Rager (@iReallyDoRage) January 9, 2018

The predator collection is a prestige collection from Adidas. I find it hard to believe that, with that context, you can call Adidas racist.

Unbelievably weak gripe and only serves to undermine credible claims of insensitivity.

— Osman Noor (@OzzyForMayor) January 9, 2018

Considering the uproar over the disgusting H&M ad, there might be some backlash over the Adidas ad. Above all, marketing and advertising teams do need people of color at the table.

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