The B side of Barcelona. This is what the clothing brand Desigual has sought to show in its new campaign, conveying an image of reality that is far from attractive. Crowded streets, theft, too many pigeons, dirt, high prices or traffic congestion. Although the message was supposedly launched with humor and irony, the audience, especially the local one, has reacted negatively to the Catalan firm’s proposal.

The campaign unveils a limited edition collection created together with Ottolinger, the Berlin brand founded by designers Christa Bösch and Cosima Gadient. The collaboration, as Desigual announced in a statement, deconstructs some of its archive pieces and refocuses them under a new style. Take as a reference the fact that for years Ottolinger used second-hand to acquire vintage Desigual garments, dismantle them and reconstruct them under his creative angle.

The garments have been developed together with the Desigual atelier in Barcelona, ​​and handcrafted in the city, hence the Catalan capital is the epicenter of the campaign’s narrative concept. The main piece, in English, shows a young woman in different points and situations in Barcelona: lying on a taxi while saying “The traffic is wild”; or struggling to hold on to a backpack while saying “Everyone wants your bag.” He also appears on a terrace paying 9.50 euros for a coffee, or receiving hostile words from a neighbor while saying “The locals love to share their culture with you.”

Original publication by Desigual on Instagram.

Consumers have found the piece offensive and criticize the brand’s approach, especially considering that Desigual’s origin is in Barcelona. They consider it offensive that the brand has resorted to some of the most pressing problems and concerns of Barcelonans for humor, and that issues such as gentrification or mass tourism are alluded to from an ironic perspective.

They even wonder about the composition of the creative team responsible for the campaign, pointing out the possible absence of local talent and the representation of the city from the perspective of an “expat”, the popularized term to refer to expatriates. They also question the creative and approval process to give the green light to the resulting piece.

Others, however, have received the campaign positively, welcoming the tone displayed by Desigual. What’s more, they consider that what is shown is a well-founded vision of Barcelona and that the majority of users have lacked a sense of humor when approaching the message, which portrays a truth about the city, although it is painful to recognize it. And some, halfway through, consider that it is okay to ironize, but consider that the execution has been inappropriate.

The truth is that, as both users and advertising industry professionals have expressed, the campaign raises questions, reflections and debates regarding the intentions and messages that underlie the satire. Has the objective been to criticize the gentrification of the city, to show that it is losing its identity? Or, on the contrary, has the brand wanted to use these issues to gain visibility? To what extent has the brand positioned itself, or is it exploiting a problem?

Desigual, however, has apologized by commenting on his own publication. “We are reading you. Barcelona is our home and we see the problem of gentrification and touristification of the city. We used humor to talk about it, but it was not the place for irony. “We have understood it,” have commented.
The brand, however, has not yet removed the piece nor has it confirmed that it will do so.

They reiterate those same words in a statement to the media in which they express their intention to create a humorous advertisement, although they recognize that the tone has not been appropriate. “Barcelona is an essential part of our identity: we were born here more than 40 years ago and we remain deeply linked to this city. Our commitment is to continue contributing to its creativity, its culture and its projection, always with respect for the city and the people who make it possible.“they state.”Beyond this episode, Desigual has always been an optimistic brand with positive, daring energy, without fear of being different. That carefree and uninhibited spirit has been part of who we are since our origins.”.

Desigual is not a brand immune to advertising controversies. Last year she was also involved in one due to a t-shirt with the text “Not a doll” and the campaign starring actress Ester Expósito. The brand stumbled upon the political-social context, specifically with the movement in defense of the rights of transsexual people “Protect the dolls”, because the term “doll” is used by the LGBTIQ+ community, in its Anglo-Saxon version, to affectionately appeal to transsexual women.