The North Face controversies
Controversies tied to this brand in public sources. A listing is not a finding of fault.
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2024
Backlash over Allyship in the Outdoors course
An inclusion course tied to a customer discount prompted criticism from right-wing commentators who characterized the initiative as corporate ideological messaging.
2022
Credential-stuffing data-security incident
A credential-stuffing attack against the brand's website compromised 194,905 customer accounts according to the referenced account of the incident. The company detected unusual activity and stopped the attack in August.
2021
Futura files copyright lawsuit against The North Face
Lawsuit filed
Artist Futura filed a lawsuit against The North Face, alleging that the brand used his stylized atom depiction in a logo for its 2019 FUTURELIGHT collection without authorization. Futura sought unspecified damages and requested that the products be recalled and removed.
Source excerpt
As a result, Futura has petitioned the California Central District Court to call for unspecified damages and for The North Face to immediately recall and remove all “FUTURELIGHT” products.
In the lawsuit, the artist’s legal team alleges that the brand co-opted his “stylized depiction of an atom” for use in a logo for a 2019 collection of waterproof outerwear called “FUTURELIGHT.”
Futura filed a lawsuit against The North Face on the grounds of copyright infringement.
2020
The North Face pauses Facebook advertising amid boycott
Public backlash
In a controversy noted in the brand's wiki, The North Face was among the companies that said they would pause Facebook advertising amid calls for a social-media ad boycott. Unilever announced it would pause advertising for the rest of the year, and Ben & Jerry's, Patagonia and The North Face also said they would pause Facebook advertising. The campaign pressed Facebook to address hate speech and other harmful content.
Unilever announced that it would pause advertising for the rest of the year, and Ben & Jerry’s, Patagonia and The North Face said they would pause Facebook advertising amid calls for a social-media ad boycott. The campaign pressed Facebook to address hate speech and other harmful content.
Stated objective. Press social-media platforms to address hate speech and other harmful content.
Source excerpt
联合利华考虑到11月举行美国总统大选，甚至宣布在今年之内暂停投放广告。
联合利华旗下品牌、冰激淋制造商Ben & Jerry's和服装公司Patagonia、North Face都成为最初一批的响应者，表示将暂停在Facebook上发布广告。
越来越多的商业巨头对社交平台Facebook（脸书）和Twitter（推特）施加压力，要求其停止仇恨评论、宣传、垃圾邮件和假新闻。
2019
Wikipedia covert-marketing controversy
The North Face faced backlash after its marketing agency added product photographs to Wikipedia articles about outdoor locations without transparent disclosure. The company apologized for the campaign.