The U.S is hosting it for the first time this year to celebrate its 100th anniversary, the traditionally South America-hosted Copa America football tournament came to the U.S.
The German sportswear company’s new ad for the Colombian football team’s new home kit spelled the country as “Columbia” instead of “Colombia”. Adidas also misspelled Colombia on its website, but the gaffe has since been corrected.
The posters, appearing as part of an outdoor advertising push underway during the 2016 Copa America tournament, which is being hosted by the United States.
Adidas advertising campaign has enraged Colombians for featuring an incorrect spelling of the country’s name while promoting Colombia’s newest kits during the Copa América tournament.
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Even if Adidas is not the first organization to make the spelling error. This new Adidas ad is every Colombian’s worst nightmare and this isn’t the first time that Colombia has been misspelled Columbia. The misspelling of Colombia is so common that it sparked the social media campaign #ItsColombiaNotColumbia in 2013.
Social Media Reaction: #ItsColombiaNotColumbia
Adidas, who has manufactured the Colombian team’s jerseys since 2011, criticised by fans after misspelling Colombia in ad campaign for national team.
Social media users took to Twitter to mock the spelling of the South American country’s name as “Columbia” using the hashtag #ItsColombiaNotColumbia
Dear @adidasfootball, #ItsColombiaNotColumbia. How many years have you been our sponsor? 🙄 pic.twitter.com/CQ1kQaVA1L
— Carlos Pineda (@_CarlosPineda) June 7, 2016
.@adidas hire Latinos for your #CopaAmerica marketing #ItsColombiaNotColumbia & fix site https://t.co/ie7w8mbrq7 pic.twitter.com/OZBRip9mEs
— Marvin Guerra (@SenorLlama) June 7, 2016
Seriously, @adidasfootball – IT'S COLOMBIA, not Columbia! Colossal mistake for such a brand. Unacceptable @adidasCO pic.twitter.com/Xvapv2i2RD
— Eña Ossa-Eslait (@EnaOssaEs) June 7, 2016
Hey @adidas … It's ColOmbia, not Columbia #ItsColombiaNotColumbia https://t.co/YyBrFMDM1E
— sarangof (@sarangof) June 7, 2016
.@adidasfootball misspells "Colombia" in their #CopaAmerica marketing initiatives in the US! #ItsColombiaNotColumbia pic.twitter.com/Ic4SFCvosS
— Sports Business Inst (@SBI_Barcelona) June 8, 2016
This is really unbelievable. #ItsColombiaNotColumbia !!! https://t.co/0ovcXmDYSt
— Marcela E. García (@marcela_elisa) June 7, 2016
Unforgivable screw-up by @adidasfootball @adidasoriginals @adidasUS. Go back to school. #ItsColombiaNotColumbia pic.twitter.com/3NfGGiJe85
— Kika Perez (@LaKikaPerez) June 7, 2016
Because I am tired and this is unacceptable @adidasfootball @adidas @adidasCO #CopaAmerica #Colombia pic.twitter.com/qlLKlztujm
— Steph (@steph_uhny95) June 7, 2016
Adidas Apologize
Adidas was quick to apologise for the gaffe via a statement, but judging by the social media reaction, the damage has already been done.
The German sportswear giant said it is sorry after misspelling the country’s name as “Columbia” in its promotional material. Adidas apologised for the mistake and said it was working to replace the adverts.
The company, which has its North American headquarters in Portland, Oregon, said in a statement Tuesday: “We value our partnership with the Colombian Football Federation and apologize for our mistake. We removed these graphics and are quickly installing new versions today.”
