Too Big to Succeed: Lessons from the Ye / Adidas Brand Partnership
The unraveling of Ye's partnerships, particularly Adidas, have attracted the attention of law practitioners and scholars, provoking questions about the transactional mechanics of the partnership agreements that follow when brands decide to collaborate with celebrities and influencers. We take a look at what brands similarly situated or who are contemplating future partnerships need to know.
December 19, 2022 at 12:31 PM
9 minute read
Contractual DisputesBy now, nearly everyone is caught up on the latest drama involving Ye (formerly Kanye) West. But in case you missed it, here's the recap: Ye has been on an immoral bender that has catapulted him from grace to disgrace. Milestones on his epic downturn include showing support for white supremacy at Paris Fashion Week by sporting a "White Lives Matter" shirt, and making numerous anything-but-subtle antisemitic comments in the press and on social media. Now Ye is paying the price, literally. Many of Ye's commercial partnerships—including those with Adidas, Gap, Balenciaga, and CAA talent agency—have been terminated. The unraveling of Ye's partnerships, particularly Adidas, have attracted the attention of law practitioners and scholars, provoking questions about the transactional mechanics of the partnership agreements that follow when brands decide to collaborate with celebrities and influencers. This article will explore (1) what we know about Ye's partnership deal with Adidas, (2) how the deal's termination likely went down, and (3) key takeaways for brands similarly situated or who are contemplating future partnerships.
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