Iconic British fashion house Burberry has worked in overdrive over the last decade to try and rid itself of its dowdy granny/checked scarf reputation and market to a younger, cooler crowd. Think last year’s “Open Spaces” campaign that was lauded as one of the ads of 2022.
However, the brand’s been called out for a new Valentine’s Day campaign called B:MINE that features a number of people kissing.
What’s causing all the fuss is one of the couples featured is showing double mastectomy scars, a process that can be used to remove cancer or for those transitioning genders.
As daring and provocative as the image is, it’s not exactly proven a winner with the brand’s steadfast fashionista crowd with some going so far as to claim it glorifies self mutilation.
Since sharing the image on its Instagram account, the image has received 1000s of replies, most of it unfavourable.
“Worst AD ever,” said one, while another commented: “WHY??? WHAT FOR? WAS IT NECESSARY?”
“Time to unfollow,” said another, while another asked: “Is this why Burberry is close to bankruptcy?”
Over in the US, a group calling itself Concerned Women for America had particular disdain for the image. A spokesperson tweeting in response: “Burberry’s new ad campaign has nothing to do with selling clothes but selling an ideology to young women that they were born in the wrong body and the only way to feel better is to become a boy. Stop glorifying and normalising self-mutilation,” the tweet added.
Twitter user @GingerPolitical responded to the tweet posted by Libs of TikTok and said that the advertisement was “WAY beyond vile,” adding that “destroying kids’ lives should ABSOLUTELY be a punishable offence.”
For its part, Burberry has not responded to the feedback.
Check out more of the social media rage below:
Burberry then. Burberry now. pic.twitter.com/V4RZzFTvls
— Kingsley Cortes (@KingsleyCortes) January 25, 2023
This makes me not want to buy Burberry pic.twitter.com/m8k1WZlb4S
— MORGONN (@morgonnm) January 25, 2023
Hmm, well making your customers throw up in their mouths isn’t my idea of solid marketing, but you do you @Burberry pic.twitter.com/TszWm0reZv
— Coco 🇺🇸 (@CoClarified) January 25, 2023
