Balenciaga Issues Empty Apology For Despicable Ad Involving Children

On Tuesday, Balenciaga, a high-end fashion brand, released an ad campaign that featured children holding BDSM teddy bears. The ads also featured pictures of court documents referring to the child pornography Supreme Court Case. A massive backlash against Balenciaga hit social media platforms and was met with company silence.

The company returned to Instagram today, apologizing for the outrageous campaign. It apologized for putting children at the forefront of the ads alongside BDSM bears. The fashion brand noted that the photos were removed and apologized for the “unsettling documents” shown in the campaign. They claim they are taking legal action against the ad creators. In an Instagram post, they said, “we strongly condemn the abuse of children in any form. We stand for children’s safety and well-being.”

The public has vital questions on whether or not the brand should be believed for the apology. Are they really sorry for the photos, or are they sorry for the outrage and blowback? One Twitter user who closely investigated the images noticed the police tape in the ads contained the word “Baalenciaga,” with “Baal” being a Canaanite deity that some believe required child sacrifice. This tape would have to be made by the company and approved.

Corporations often contract major ad agencies to execute ads for them in the marketing industry. Ad campaigns must go through an extensive approval process before release. The company either approved the entire ad, or the contracted agency underhandedly released the advertisement while keeping the details secret. The latter is unlikely as the pieces are many.

When they see the ad, most people would need to learn what they are looking at or what to look for. However, others online are self-certified experts at analyzing things, making it really hard for details to go unnoticed. Other details referencing an artist known for unsettling child cannibal paintings were featured in the Balenciaga ads on top of the obvious. It is tough to believe that Balenciaga didn’t even experience some form of pause when reviewing the ad. Because of this, they seem to be attempting to put out their own fire.