Gap (NYSE:GPS) has stirred up some controversy for an ad that some are calling racist.
The apparel maker tweeted the following ad: “meet the kids who are proving that girls can do anything. check out #GapKidsxED: http://gap.com/ED pic.twitter.com/e47gVghHt0.”
Upon first examination, the ad seems harmless, but people on Twitter have been calling out Gap for the company’s alleged racial insensitivity in the ad.
For young girls are in the ad as part of Le Petit Cirque, which is a traveling circus company with boys and girls between the ages of 5 and 14. The part that upset the Twitter world is the manner in which two girls are positioned.
An African-American girl is posing next to a taller Caucasian girl who is using the younger girl’s head to prop her arm up.
“As a brand with a proud 46 year history of championing diversity and inclusivity, we appreciate the conversation that has taken place and are sorry to anyone we’ve offended,” said Gap spokeswoman Debbie Felix in a statement to Fortune.
The company added that it will remove the image that was deemed offensive but will proceed with the rest of the campaign.
GPS stock is down 2.4% Tuesday.
