jfid – Shares of PT Mitra Adiperkasa Tbk (MAPI), a modern retail company managing Sogo, Seibu, Galeries Lafayette, The FoodHall, Zara, and Marks & Spencer outlets, plunged by up to 10% in Monday’s (12/11/2023) trading.
MAPI’s stock decline was triggered by the viral ZARA advertisement deemed offensive by some Indonesian communities.
The controversial ZARA ad featured a hijab-wearing model with the caption “Be Yourself” beneath it. This ad faced criticism from numerous netizens who found it conflicting with Islamic values and Indonesian culture.
They accused ZARA of supporting the LGBT movement and attempting to alter the identity of hijab-wearing women.
Consequently, many netizens called for boycotting ZARA products and outlets selling them, including the MAP Group.
The hashtags #BoikotZARA and #BoikotMAP became trending topics on social media, especially Twitter. Some netizens even uploaded pictures of them discarding or burning their ZARA clothing.
Responses from ZARA and the MAP Group
Addressing the controversy, ZARA via its official Instagram account @zara_indonesia apologized to all offended Indonesians due to the advertisement.
