Ye + Adidas: The Hidden Cost of Celebrity Deals

Here’s a conundrum: Should bad behavior be tolerated when profits are soaring? The Ye and Adidas relationship is a cautionary tale about the temptation to trade erratic behavior for crazy revenues. During a near decade-long partnership between Kanye West and Adidas, the Yeezy brand brought in Adidas a billion dollars a year and made Ye a billionaire. But at what cost? Join Robin and Shelley as they dissect the business risk of doing business with controversial celebrities. Why did Adidas put up with inappropriate, off-the-rails behavior? And why was Adidas hostage to Ye’s downward spiral of hate speech?  Motivated by pure profit? And then there’s the anti-Ye, everyone’s role model: Michael Jordan and Nike. Listen to this fascinating conversation about complex business decision-making that pits profits against ethics.For more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.