Bosses of the website which posted photos purporting to show unairbrushed images of Justin Bieber from his recent Calvin Klein shoot have offered the pop star an apology.
The Baby hitmaker’s advertising campaign for the fashion giant became a sensation when it was unveiled this past week but editors of Breatheheavy uploaded images of a much less hunky Bieber, suggesting the pictures were the airbrushed originals.
A Controversy Erupts Over Unverified Justin Bieber Photos:
- The Spark: A website called Breatheheavy posted photos claiming to be unedited images of Justin Bieber from his recent Calvin Klein campaign.
- The Photos: These photos depicted Bieber with a less defined physique compared to the official, presumably airbrushed, campaign images.
- Fan Frenzy: The contrasting photos quickly gained traction online, sparking debate and potentially upsetting some of Bieber’s younger fans (tweens).
Legal Intervention and Apology:
- Team Bieber Steps In: Justin Bieber’s team disputed the authenticity of the unverified photos and took legal action against Breatheheavy to get them removed.
- Breatheheavy Backtracks: Faced with legal pressure, Breatheheavy removed the photos from their website.
- A Half-Hearted Apology: Breatheheavy issued a statement expressing apology to Justin Bieber but the wording (“hit to his ego”) suggests a lack of sincere regret.
Unanswered Questions:
- Origin of the Photos: The source of the unverified photos remains unclear. Were they truly fakes, or simply unflattering outtakes from the shoot?
- Impact on Campaign: The controversy might have inadvertently increased awareness of the Calvin Klein campaign, but it also raises questions about the ethics of portraying celebrities in a potentially misleading way.
Bieber’s team claimed the snaps were fake and threatened bosses of the website with legal action if they did not remove the pictures.
The photos have now been removed from Breatheheavy and editors issued a statement on the site which reads, “We sincerely apologize to Bieber for the hit to his ego and to the millions of tweens on social media we upset…”