Top 10 Companies That Offended the Most People
#10: Pearl Milling Company
In 2021, this breakfast brand returned to its original name from 1888, although most people recognize it from the controversial name it used for over 100 years. In 1889, Pearl Milling Company began branding their pancake mix as Aunt Jemima—complete with a caricature image of a black woman—to make their product stand out on shelves. Although Aunt Jemima’s look changed over the years as the brand attempted to modernize, there was no denying that the famous image was rooted in the Jim Crow era and harmful “Mammy” stereotypes. In 2020, after years of backlash, parent company PepsiCo finally announced they would be removing the Aunt Jemima name and image from packaging.
#9: Balenciaga
Luxury fashion house Balenciaga faced serious social media scrutiny in 2022 when users began noticing a subtle but concerning theme in their campaign photoshoots. One campaign saw child models holding handbags made of plush bears wearing bondage gear, a choice many critics saw as incredibly inappropriate. Another photoshoot included legal papers that referenced a Supreme Court case on child sexual abuse imagery. That same shoot also included a book of Michaël Borremans’ “Fire from the Sun” paintings, which feature images of naked toddlers. Balenciaga has since apologized and also sued the producers of the photoshoots in question. The incident led to boycotts and caused many celebrities, including Kim Kardashian, to reconsider their relationship with the brand.
#8: Dove
Since 2004, beauty brand Dove has attempted to use their advertising to promote body positivity and challenge conventional standards of beauty with their “Real Beauty” campaign. The campaign has seen some wins, with many praising the brand’s willingness to showcase more relatable models. However, sometimes they’ve missed the mark. One ad, aiming to show how their lotion is suitable for a diverse range of skin types, showed a black woman removing her shirt and turning into a white woman. Though the ad was not intended to be racist, Dove apologized for overlooking the fact that it could’ve been viewed as such.
#7: Chick-fil-A
This fast food restaurant has gained a cult following over the years, with loyal fans flocking to their local Chick-fil-A six days a week to get their chicken sandwich fix. However, as the brand’s profile has grown, so has public scrutiny over certain discriminatory and harmful business practices. Influenced by the founder’s devout Southern Baptist beliefs, Chick-fil-A has donated millions to groups that oppose same sex marriage and organizations that support conversion therapy. LGBTQIA+ employees of the fast food chain have also reported facing discrimination in the form of offensive jokes and threats of termination. While this has caused many individuals to boycott the brand, Chick-fil-A still remains one of the top three most successful fast food restaurants in America.
#6: Heineken
This world famous Dutch beer came under fire in 2018 for an advertisement many viewed as shockingly racist. In an ad promoting their new light beer, a bottle slides past multiple patrons before landing in front of a woman with noticeably lighter skin. The slogan was the final nail in the coffin, reading “Sometimes lighter is better.” Heineken quickly pulled the ad, but denied their “lighter” slogan referred to anything other than the beer’s lower calorie content. Some, including Chance the Rapper, suggested the ad was an attempt to get attention on the brand by purposefully stirring up controversy. They say any press is good press, but this really wasn’t a good look for Heineken.
#5: Zara
This Spanish retailer has been consistently expanding worldwide since the 1980s, selling affordably priced clothing, accessories, and beauty products. In 2014, an unfortunate design for their kids clothing line caused significant backlash for the brand. The shirt in question was meant to be Western-inspired, but its striped pattern and six-pointed star made it more closely resemble a concentration camp uniform from the Holocaust. The brand apologized and pulled the shirt. But this wasn’t Zara’s first or last controversy. In 2007, the brand pulled a handbag after realizing it was patterned with a green swastika. More recently, in 2021, a senior designer at Zara came under fire for her harsh anti-Palestinian comments.
#4: Abercrombie & Fitch
Built on exclusivity, the allure of Abercrombie & Fitch in the early 2000s was in the high status that wearing their clothes would supposedly grant you. Former CEO Mike Jeffries famously stated he wanted his brand only to be worn by “attractive all-American… cool kids.” He even admitted to his brand being “exclusionary.” Abercrombie has since gone through a significant rebrand focusing on inclusivity and diversity, but controversy still follows its former leader. In 2023, Jeffries was accused of sexually exploiting male models aspiring to work with Abercrombie while he was still CEO. Abercrombie responded by launching an investigation into the matter, and reiterated their severed ties to Jeffries and his actions.
#3: H&M
One of the biggest brick-and-mortar fast fashion retailers, H&M has been a popular choice for affordable, trendy clothing for decades. Due to the ethically fraught nature of fast fashion, H&M is also no stranger to controversy. One of the brand’s biggest design-based blunders was a 2018 image of a black child model wearing a sweatshirt that read “coolest monkey in the jungle.” This was perceived as racially insensitive, and caused many to boycott the brand. H&M has also come under scrutiny for the poor working conditions in their factories in China, Cambodia, and Bangladesh. Other critics highlight the brand’s environmental impact, accusing them of greenwashing with their Conscious Choice line, which has allegedly misled customers about the sustainability of their products.
#2: Yeezy
These days, it’s difficult to find someone more offensive and controversy-prone than Kanye West. His outspoken antisemitic views, including proclaiming himself to be a Nazi, have ruined his reputation as both an artist and an entrepreneur. It has also completely tanked his once successful media and fashion brand, Yeezy. His minimalist streetwear designs were once highly sought after. But previous collaborators like Gap and Adidas have cut all ties with Kanye. In 2025, Kanye ensured there would be no separating his views from his brand when he made a t-shirt featuring a swastika—the only item available in his shop. Rolling Stone aptly called West “a cultural and business pariah.” And he’s taking Yeezy down with him.
Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.
Nike
Deemed Unpatriotic by Outspoken Fans After the Company Pulled a Betsy Ross Flag Shoe at the Request of Spokesperson Colin Kaepernick
Urban Outfitters
Employees Report a Toxic, Discriminatory Work Environment, & Certain Designs Offend
Uber
Former CEO’s Sexist Comments & Unethical Corporate Culture Caused Push for His Resignation
Victoria’s Secret
Exec Said Fashion Show Fantasy Would Be Ruined by Plus-Sized and Transgender Models
Ulta Beauty
Email Subject Line Read “Come Hang with Kate Spade,” Who Died by Hanging
#1: Pepsi
In the 1940s, Pepsi attempted to compete with Coca-Cola by targeting a more niche market: African-Americans. They focused on ads that portrayed black Americans in a positive light, without the use of stereotypes. Quite progressive for the time, but you wouldn’t think Pepsi had ever considered racial sensitivity after viewing their infamous Kendall Jenner ad. The 2017 commercial referenced the Black Lives Matter movement and heightened racial tension in the United States, particularly regarding police brutality. During a peaceful protest, Jenner gives a can of Pepsi to a police officer as a sort of peace offering, causing the crowd to erupt in cheers. This ad was received incredibly poorly, as many rightfully claimed it trivialized the movement and portrayed Jenner as a white savior.
Do you think these brands should have been cancelled, or was the outrage uncalled for? Let us know in the comments!