Major US technology companies have withdrawn their advertising from the Paris Olympics. On Saturday, Mississippi-based C-Spire announced it was withdrawing its advertising sponsorship following a strong backlash over a performance at the opening ceremony that many viewers found extremely offensive and blasphemous. The controversial performance included a performance by drag queens and dancers that was seen as a mocking parody of the Last Supper. (Paris Olympics Day 2 Live Updates)
Tech companies pull Olympic ads amid controversy
The 2024 Olympics officially kicked off in Paris on July 26 with an unusual opening ceremony. Organizers opted for a grand citywide event rather than the usual ceremony in a stadium. Thousands of athletes and performers floated down the Seine, culminating in a spectacular spectacle with a star-studded performance from Lady Gaga and Celine Dion, with the Eiffel Tower in the background. However, the opening ceremony was marred by controversy over a particular scene that many viewers found “offensive to Christians.”
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Communications and technology company CSpire has also joined the growing backlash, announcing it will pull all Olympic advertising on X. The company cited the ceremony as “making a mockery of Christian beliefs” as the reason for its decision.
“We are shocked by the mockery of The Last Supper at the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics,” C-Spire wrote on X. “We will be withdrawing our advertising from the Olympics.”
Last Supper depiction sparks Olympic advertising boycott
The internet was abuzz all day after the four-hour ceremony. Some people criticized the inclusion of children in the drag performance as “overly sexual.” Others saw the scene, which looked like Leonardo da Vinci's painting “The Last Supper,” as “mocking.” But not everyone felt the same way. Many people thought the show was a great way to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community and diversity.
Afterwards, the ceremony's artistic director, Thomas Jolly, spoke about the gesture in a media briefing, saying that was never the intention. He said the actual idea was “inclusion.” “Obviously, when you want to be inclusive and not exclude anyone, it raises questions,” Jolly said in an interview with Fox News.
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C Spire CEO Susie Hayes also commented on the decision to pull the ads. In a statement to the New York Post, she said, “C Spire supports the athletes who have worked so hard to qualify for the Olympic Games,” she said. She continued, “But we will not take part in the offensive and unacceptable mockery of the Last Supper, which is why we are pulling our advertising from the Olympics.”
