Adidas is being sued by the Greek government over a drone display in Athens that showed a shoe "kicking" the Acropolis.
Greece’s Culture Ministry alleges the sportswear giant used images of the protected historical site without permission, in breach of national laws safeguarding antiquities.
The incident involved brightly lit drones forming an Adidas-branded trainer, the company's logo, and the slogan "FEEL FAST," all hovering directly above the ancient Acropolis monument.
Greece’s Culture Minister Lina Mendoni told local Skai radio: “The legal procedure wasn’t followed.
“This a very bad, extremely unpleasant image is as if the Adidas shoe is kicking the Acropolis, aesthetically that is.
A lawsuit has been already filed against anyone responsible.”
The Constitution of Greece states: “the protection of the natural and cultural environment constitutes a duty of the State and a right of every person.”
Adidas has responded to the accusations by insisting that rules and regulations for the drone display were followed appropriately.
In a statement, the brand said: “All required permits were received and adhered to. No image of the Acropolis monument was used by Adidas for advertising or other purposes.”
Politicians in Greece’s opposition have seized upon the controversy to question the involvement of the governing body in the stunt.
The opposition Pasok party said: “The Acropolis, a global symbol of culture and democracy, cannot be treated as a backdrop for commercial use.
“Serious questions arise about the role and responsibility of the culture ministry.”
The leftwing Syriza party said: “The image of a sports shoe ‘stepping’ on the Acropolis, created using a drone swarm for advertising purposes, constitutes an offensive commercialisation of the core of our cultural heritage.”
The management of the Acropolis has been under particular scrutiny in recent years due to mounting pressure to negotiate the return of the Parthenon Elgin Marbles, with George Clooney making a controversial statement on the issue last week.
The advertising incident has sparked outraged responses from Athen’s residents on social media, many pointing to the cultural significance of the Acropolis and the insensitivity of using its fame for a shoe advert.
One wrote on X/Twitter: “The sacred hill of acropolis is being used to promote Adidas, this should be illegal.”
Another called on Adidas to “have some culture”, adding “Adidas just projected drones over one of humanity’s most sacred heritage sites — for a shoe ad. This isn’t innovation. It’s vandalism out of scale.”
