Krispy Kreme’s “KKK Wednesdays” promotion backfires, obviously

[Exhibit A]

Oops!

http://www.salon.com/2015/02/17/krispy_kremes_kkk_wednesdays_promotion_backfires_obviously/

A United Kingdom branch of Krispy Kreme has officially apologized after advertising their short-lived “KKK [Krispy Kreme Klub] Wednesdays” promotion for their Hull location. Apparently, people outside the U.S. — including the representatives from Krispy Kreme’s British headquarters who approved the promotion — are unfamiliar with the Ku Klux Klan, a white supremacist organization known for grotesque violence primarily against black people.

“Krispy Kreme apologizes unreservedly for the inappropriate name of a customer promotion at one of our stores,” said a Krispy Kreme spokesperson in a statement. “The promotion was never intended to cause offense. All material has been withdrawn and an internal investigation is currently underway.”

[Renew Deal]

1. Everyone wearing a white hood got a free glazed donut

[whatthehey]

2. It's quite possible this really was innocent

Hull after all is/was really Kingston-upon-Hull. While in general terms only the suffix is often used, the full name is still prevalent in many usages.

So the Kingston-upon-Hull Krispy Kreme has a perfectly valid reason to use the KKK initialism. I doubt very many US stores called something like Nashville Florists or Boise Naturopathic Pharmacy would worry about using their initials despite the link to racist groups thousands of miles away.

Now if the promotion had flaming crosses or white hoods, then they're toast...

[Exhibit A]

4. Oh, I don't think it was deliberate at all.

I just thought it was funny in a cringe-y kind of way.

[uponit7771]

5. That's still not a good thing, doesn't speak well for the leadership in either country that they're

... this unaware of Americas for federally designated terrorist organization ...

For some reason

Gets to still protest openly in the US

Like not knowing who Al Qeada is....

[whatthehey]

8. That's a bit parochial

Are you familiar with every racist group in every country, especially those whose "prime" is decades past? We may think the KKK is big time and well-known, but how many of us can rattle off the names of British xenophobic groups?

[Dale Neiburg]

3. Obviously not Sherlock Holmes fans!

The Ku Klux Klan (and the KKK abbreviation) appear in "The Five Orange Pips."

[packman]

6. I wonder how it goes behind closed doors

when they come up with this type of promotion.

Bob Witless " I have a great idea to promote our donuts. Let's form a club. We'll call it the Krispy Kreme Klub and let's promote it as KKK."
Jack Dumbass " Sounds good. And to promote those sugar dusted donuts, anyone who dresses in all white gets a free donut."
Charlie Somewhat Astute " Seems like I heard something about America having something to do with the KKK."
Bob "See- they stole our idea already. Let's get moving on this."

Reminds me off a story several years back when a Japanese company wanted to call it's new line of phones "Woodies" and play off of the Woody Woodpecker cartoon character until an American adviser pulled them aside and told them what Americans thought of the term.

[alcibiades_mystery]

7. In related news, Justin Verlander apologized for throwing only three strike outs in a July game

An act that caused the pitcher's fans to advertise KKK across the stands of Comerica Park.

Verlander notes that he would have been happy to have pitched a fourth K, but the hitters were just seeing the ball that day.