The Big Picture
Vincent Boland: The Adidas-Ye fiasco is a cautionary tale for brands signing starry mega-deals
As Adidas is discovering to its cost after falling out with Kanye West, a badly judged corporate-celebrity relationship can be damaging to the bottom line as well as to reputation
There is a degree of fatal attraction between a certain kind of company and a certain kind of celebrity. Footballers model hair gel. Jockeys promote betting companies. Musicians team up with fashion houses and sportswear brands.
These partnerships come in two types. The first corporate-celebrity relationship mostly works fine, though it can be subject to the whims of the celebrities. The second is more problematic, and when it goes wrong the fallout can be toxic ...
