The sportswear brand claimed Indonesia’s traditional puppet shadow play as Malaysian. After setting off an angry reaction to its online ad, the company apologised and changed the ad’s caption.
Jakarta (AsiaNews/Agencies) – Indonesians were angered by Adidas Singapore after the well-known sportswear company posted an ad on social media claiming that Wayang Kulit was a Malaysian tradition.
Wayang Kulit is traditional form of puppet-shadow play originally found in Java and Bali as early as the 10th century. The puppets are usually made out of water buffalo hide. UNESCO declared it part of humanity’s immaterial patrimony in 2003.
On 11 November, Adidas launched a new shoe collection dedicated to Southeast Asian countries. Six artists were chosen to pay tribute to Singapore, Vietnam, Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines, and Malaysia through original designs.
Created by Jaemy Choong, the Malaysian one depicts characters clearly inspired by Malaysian tradition, which has its own version of shadow play.
However, a video ad posted by the company on its Instagram page shows figures that look more like Indonesian puppets with the caption claiming that Wayang Kulit originated in Malaysia, not in neighbouring Indonesia.
Stung by fuming Indonesian netizens, Adidas Singapore was forced to change the wording, which now reads: “Originating from Indonesia, Wayang Kulit has inspired other parts of Southeast Asia.”
The sportswear company also posted a public apology on Instagram Stories saying that neither the artist nor the brand wanted to claim that a typical Indonesian art form was Malaysian.
The tribute to Indonesia was instead done by Yeri Afriyani, a designer and entrepreneur from Bandung who owns the fashion label Calla, famous for its imaginative and colourful patterns.