Kanye West faced controversy after being accused of tricking an ad agency with a Super Bowl commercial promoting swastika T-shirts.
Kanye West’s Super Bowl ad sparks outrage
Kanye West allegedly misled an advertising agency to broadcast an antisemitic ad during the Super Bowl.
Reports suggest he altered the content on his website after the ad aired, promoting a swastika-emblazoned T-shirt.
The deceptive nature of Kanye West’s commercial sparked controversy. According to reports, the 15-second ad, initially pitched as a casual video of West in a dentist’s chair, aired in select markets.
Then, the advertisement directed viewers to Yeezy.com, which originally displayed non-offensive merchandise.
However, shortly after the ad aired, the site was wiped and replaced with Nazi imagery.
The ad aired around 9:30 p.m. ET on Fox affiliates in major cities such as Los Angeles, Philadelphia, and Atlanta. A Nexstar-owned Fox station in St. Louis also ran the ad.
Advertising agency and broadcasters caught off guard
USIM, the agency responsible for placing the ad, had vetted it and assured broadcasters of its legitimacy. Both Fox and Nexstar executives reviewed the Yeezy website before the commercial ran and found it contained standard athletic apparel.
USIM submitted the ad the Thursday before the Super Bowl. After learning about the offensive content, the agency immediately contacted television stations on Monday to pull the ad.
Unlike nationally aired Super Bowl ads, which require Fox and NFL approval, regional advertisements follow a different approval process.
Local stations independently handle these advertisements, leading to less scrutiny.
Kanye West’s recent antisemitic outburst
Before the Super Bowl, West, now legally known as Ye, posted inflammatory content on X. Statements included phrases such as “whip your Jews” and “I love Hitler.”
As a result, X banned him after the latest antisemitic remarks.
Following the Super Bowl, Shopify faced criticism for hosting the Yeezy website, allowing it to remain active after the offensive imagery surfaced.
The platform shut down the online store on Tuesday, stating that the site violated its policies and failed to meet “authentic commerce practices.”
Attempts to contact West for comment have been unsuccessful.
Fallout and public response
Doug Livingston, president and COO of USIM, confirmed that the agency vetted the advertisement before submission. He stated that the firm found no problematic content at the time.
USIM had been working with Yeezy LLC for only a few weeks before terminating its relationship with the brand on Friday. This decision came after West’s offensive social media posts escalated concerns.
Fox Sports and the NFL released statements emphasizing that they had no involvement in approving or broadcasting the controversial ad.
The NFL strongly condemned antisemitism and clarified that the ad did not go through its approval process.
West’s actions sparked widespread condemnation from organizations such as the Anti-Defamation League and the American Jewish Committee.
Actor David Schwimmer and other public figures called for X to permanently ban West’s account.
Kanye West’s deceptive actions have resulted in significant backlash, legal scrutiny, and condemnation from multiple organizations. The controversy highlights the risks of regional Super Bowl ads and the need for stricter approval processes in advertising.