Zara pulls ‘gluten free’ graphic shirt amid outrage it trivializes disease
Zara is discovering that gluten-free community isn’t full of laughs.
The fashion brand has pulled a T-shirt from shelves that read “Are you gluten free?,” a misfired joke intended to mock the diet fad. Yet, some people felt the shirt was offensive because cutting out the ingredient is a life-saving necessity for those with celiac disease.
The shirt sparked an outrage online, prompting a Change.org petition that collected 53,000 signatures.
“The message of this shirt trivializes an important health problem,” it says, asking Zara to not only stop selling the shirt, but to apologize and commit to “not trivializing” the disease.
To Zara’s credit, it listened.
“We sincerely regret that this case can be interpreted as a trivialization of coeliac problem completely opposite intention of Inditex,” its parent company said in a statement, adding that it has pulled the shirt from stores.
It’s the latest t-shirt faux pas that’s struck a fast fashion chain. Last week, Forever 21 apologized for selling a shirt that made light of rape.
More in Marketing
Coca-Cola’s AI-powered José Mourinho campaign could signal a shift in celebrity partnerships
Instead of featuring José Mourinho, the incoming manager of the Real Madrid soccer team, the series will be hosted by Mourinho’s AI clone.
Nest New York brings its fragrance-layering strategy to the U.K.
The fragrance brand is expanding its U.K. presence through e-tailer Cult Beauty, department stores Harrods and Selfridges, and specialty retailer John Bell & Croyden.
Future of Marketing Briefing: How agencies are betting on entertainment to survive
Some agencies are done making ads. Now they want to make hits.