10 Times Celebrities Got Dropped By Big Brands After They Made A Big Mess

Every big brand knows that celebrity endorsements are one hell of a powerful marketing tool. Put the face of the right megastar on your products and you will make millions of dollars from their fans. However, a match made in heaven between celebs and brands can turn into a nightmare in the blink of an eye. Many celebrities got dropped by big brands after just one small gesture.
Why so harsh? Well, turns out small gestures are pretty important when you are a big celebrity. Everything you do will be judged by millions of people. One controversial comment or action can cost a lot of money, and even worse: a boycott. No brand ever wanted that, so these celebrities got dropped by big brands really quickly after they did something scandalous.

1. Kanye West Was Immediately Dropped By Adidas, Gap, Balenciaga, Foot Locker, Vogue, and Anna Wintour After His Antisemitic Remarks

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Kanye West made some antisemitic remarks, and he immediately had to pay the price. An expensive one, actually. Following his offensive remarks, Adidas, Gap, Balenciaga, Vogue, and more big brands instantly severed all ties with him. Adidas and Gap also released statements that they don’t tolerate antisemitism and any other sort of hate speech. Adidas also shame Kanye for his action, saying it was “unacceptable, hateful, and dangerous.”

2. Chanel and Burberry Ditched Kate Moss After They Found Out She Was Using Cocaine

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In 2005, Kate Moss got herself in a huge scandal after photos of her snorting cocaine were snapped. This created a bad public image for the supermodel and the luxury brands she was representing. The brands quickly terminated their contracts with Moss. In the end, she lost all three endorsements with Burberry, Chanel, and H&M.

3. Tiger Woods Was Dropped By Gillette, Pepsi, Accenture, And AT&T When His Affairs Made The Headlines

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Everything was going fine and dandy for Tiger Woods until the news about his affairs was exposed in 2009. The famous golfer cheated on his wife with not one, not two, but at least 15 mistresses. New York Post even stated that he confessed to sleeping with over 120 women.
His then-wife Elin Nordegren might have chased Woods out of his home with a golf club, but it was the brands who completely shut him down. Gatorade, AT&T, Accenture, and Gillette immediately terminated their relationship with the golfer during that time.

4. Nike and Porsche Quickly Cut Ties With Maria Sharapova After Her Drug Scandal

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Maria Sharapova was on top of the Tennis world until she failed a drug test in 2016 and was suspended from the game for using Meldonium. The athlete had been prescribed it by a doctor for 10 years. Meldonium wasn't banned before, but it was recently added and Sharapova had no idea.
Regardless of her reasons, Nike and Porsche quickly cut ties with her. Tag Heuer also suspended negotiations to extend her contract.

5. Michael Phelps Lost His Deal With Kellogg Because He Was Smoking Weed

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Michael Phelps's whole career as the most decorated Olympian of all time was destroyed by a single photo. He was snapped inhaling from a marijuana pipe and the news went wild. Kellogg ended their contract with him right after, saying that Phelps' behavior did not align with their views.

6. SlimFast Fired Whoopi Goldberg After Her Jokes Gone Too Far

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Whoopi Goldberg was famous for her comedic performances, but she took it too far at a fundraiser in New York for Democratic nominee John Kerry. The comedian made a sexually explicit pun about President Bush's name and her joke was not received well. SlimFast ditched her from its advertisements shortly after.

7. CNN Cancelled Kathy Griffin Over A Bad Joke Too

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Speaking of jokes went bad, Kathy Griffin was also canceled after she shared a photo of herself with a bloody replica of Trump’s decapitated head in 2017. The image was deemed too gory and she lost her deal with Squatty Potty. CNN and 25 other theatres also canceled her upcoming shows and her role as the New Year’s Eve host.

8. Nutella Does Not Tolerate Kobe Bryant And His Sexual Assault Scandal

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Because Kobe Bryant was a role model for many kids back then, Nutella thought he was the perfect choice to promote their famous family product. They were right, for a while. The brand and Kobe Bryant were making millions until a woman made accusations of sexual assault toward Bryant.
No matter who was right and who was wrong here, Nutella instantly cut its ties with the basketball star. They never wanted their products to be associated with someone with sex scandals, especially when the products were mostly used by families with children.

9. Nike Dumped Lance Armstrong After The World Knew He Was Using Doping

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Lance Armstrong lost his deal with Nike in 2012 when he admitted to using doping during his numerous Tour de France wins. Other brands such as Anheuser-Busch, Trek Bicycle Corp, FRS, and Honey Stinger also followed Nike and ditched Armstrong. The athlete lost $150 million from endorsement deals after his confession.

10. And They Also Dumped Michael Vick After He Admitted To Join An Illegal Dogfighting Ring Too

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Another case wherein celebrities got dropped by big brands after they got themselves into illegal trouble was Michael Vick. Before Armstrong, Nike also cut ties with Vick in 2007 after he pled guilty to his participation in an illegal dogfighting ring. He made an apology statement and stated that he would take full responsibility for his actions. The two eventually re-signed a new deal in 2011.
These celebrities got dropped by big brands for some very controversial actions, but they weren’t the only famous people who have made some pretty questionable statements in front of the public eye. Other celebs also spoke something so stupid that they quickly backtracked and claimed it was taken out of context. It’s pretty hilarious to read those quotes.