Pink Hitler Posters Cause Outrage

Graphic by Angelie Zaslavsky
I have long thought that Hitler could have used a makeover. Maybe I just prefer my historical dictators to be cleanly shaven. However, jeans company New Form’s new ad campaign, which portrays the Nazi leader in Barbie-pink military garb and an armband with a red heart in place of a swastika, somehow doesn’t quite inspire me to hit the mall.
Projected on 18ft posters, according to the Telegraph, throughout the city of Palermo, Sicily, the posters read “Change Style — Don’t Follow Your Leader” and reeks of a desperate attempt to draw publicity no matter how negatively charged it may be.
Residents of Palermo, a city almost entirely devoid of Jews, have called for the posters’ removal. But a spokesperson for the agency that devised the ad, Daniele Manno, says “We have ridiculed Hitler in a way that invites young people to create their own style and not to be influenced by their peers.”
I usually admire a man who is confident enough to wear the color pink, and though I’m certainly no fashion expert, in this case I don’t think Hitler quite pulled it off.
Hello, fellow Forward reader! I’m Joel Brown, a Forward reader and supporter for more than 15 years, and currently the chair of the board of directors.
I’m an avid Forward reader because it ticks so many of my essential boxes: excellent journalism, Jewish focus and diverse viewpoints. In today’s political climate, what I most appreciate is the Forward’s independence — made possible by the generosity of its membership.
The Forward is committed to bringing you unbiased, nuanced Jewish news. From my position as board chair, I see an exciting future as we expand our position as the definitive independent voice of contemporary American Judaism.
— Joel Brown, Forward board chair
