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Reading: “Highly Insensitive!” Selena Gomez’s Puma Campaign Manages To Upset Entire Religion
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B&T > Campaigns > “Highly Insensitive!” Selena Gomez’s Puma Campaign Manages To Upset Entire Religion
Campaigns

“Highly Insensitive!” Selena Gomez’s Puma Campaign Manages To Upset Entire Religion

Staff Writers
Published on: 2nd December 2019 at 11:22 AM
Staff Writers
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A new print campaign for German sportswear brand Puma has managed to offend almost a billion Hindus, Indians and the odd librarian, too.

The campaign again stars American singer/actress Selena Gomez who’s been an ambassador for the brand since September 2017.

The seemingly innocuous looking ads for Puma’s SG x PUMA AW19 Fall/ Winter 2019 collection features the 27-year-old Gomez in blue sports gear standing in a library. As you do for sportswear campaigns.

In one of the images Gomez is seen standing on a a pile of books.

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So, why all the outrage? Well, according to Hindus, books are something to be revered and the ads – now circulating on social media to a lot of negative comments – are a “flagrant disrespect” for “mercantile greed”.

In a statement sent to B&T, the president of Universal Society of Hinduism, Rajan Zed, said: “Books commanded immense respect among Hindus who saw reflection of Goddess Sarasvati in the books. [The images are] highly insensitive.”

Screen Shot 2019-12-02 at 10.19.50 am

The campaign’s also not gone down well in India, home to some 966 million Hindus.

Angry Indians have taken to social media to slam the campaign and Gomez’s apparent disrespect and, worse, claim she’s probably now “cursed” by Goddess Sarasvati herself.

Check out some of the social media hate below. As yet, Puma or Gomez have not commented on the backlash.

Screen Shot 2019-12-02 at 10.12.57 am

Screen Shot 2019-12-02 at 10.16.02 amScreen Shot 2019-12-02 at 10.16.52 am

 

 

 

 

 

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TAGGED: Ad campaigns, PUMA, Selena Gomez
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Staff Writers
By Staff Writers
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Staff Writers represent B&T's team of award-winning reporters. Here, you'll find articles crafted with industry experience spanning over 50 years. Our team of specialists brings together a wealth of knowledge and a commitment to delivering insightful, topical, and breaking news. With a deep understanding of advertising and media, our Staff Writers are dedicated to providing industry-leading analysis and reporting, both shaping the conversation and setting the benchmark for excellence.

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