A prominent Hollywood marketing and branding guru has raised eyebrows by telling staffers that they should refrain from working with anyone who is "posting against Israel."
Ashlee Margolis, founder of the Beverly Hills firm The A List, wrote an email to her staff about a new mandate to hit "pause on working with any celebrity or influencer or tastemaker posting against Israel." The company, which is a fixture on red carpets and is at the forefront of brand integration with celebrities, works with such companies as CAA, UTA, Lede Company and Wolf Kasteler Public Relations.
In the email, Margolis stressed that there was a distinction between what she deemed acceptable and unacceptable social media posts about the country and its current military operations in Gaza. "Anyone saying Israel is committing a 'genocide' is someone we will pause on working with, as that is simply not true," the veteran marketing executive wrote. "While Jews are devastated by the loss of innocent lives in Gaza, we are feeling immense fear over the rising Jew Hatred all over the world."
Margolis declined comment. Sources familiar with the situation note that The A List has a decades-long history of advocating for fairness and the wellbeing of others. They add that the intention of the email was to reiterate that the company is strictly anti hate and will not be a part of perpetuating harmful speech and behavior against any community.
The email comes amid a growing divide in Hollywood over the subject of Israel that emerged in the wake of Hamas' Oct. 7 attack on the Nova Music Festival and nearby homes in Southern Israel. Hamas killed 1,200 Israelis and kidnapped 250 others during the surprise attack. Israel's military response in Gaza has resulted in more than 34,000 Palestinians being killed.