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November 01, 2007 ZARA WITHDRAWS SWASTIKA HANDBAGS
Looks like big multinationals are facing problem after problem. Now is the turn of Zara, a spanish apparel company owned by Inditex, that had to withdraw from the market swastika handbags. See the enclosed article from the BBC News for futher details. Whichever the real reason, it is unacceptable that this happens to a big company. The outcomes of a mistake like this are huge and definitively hurt the Company´s image and reputation. Quality control is absolutely required and reasonable explanations demanded. As in Mattel, I miss again a more elaborated PR action and communication.
Think Different!!! Ignacio Gafo ----------------------------------------------- Zara said the bag came from an external supplier and the symbol had not been visible when it was selected. A customer who returned the bag to the shop when she noticed the symbol said staff had been "shocked" to see it. As well as being the Nazi symbol, the swastika is also a religious symbol for Hindus and Buddhists. The customer, Rachel Hatton, said, "I was quite shocked - I took it back to the shop." "Then obviously the shop assistants were quite shocked as well to find out this symbol was on there - it was not something that they'd noticed either straight away," she told BBC Radio 4's Today programme. "Had the symbol been seen we would not have sourced that particular handbag," said Zara spokesperson Susan Suett. "As a precaution we've obviously taken the decision to immediately withdraw the item from sale on being informed of this particular bit of information," she added. Zara is owned by the Spanish company Inditex. 
Posted on 1 November 2007 in International Marketing, Branding, Product Management CommentsPost a comment |
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