Uh-Oh SpaghettiOs: 9 Worst Tweets From Company Twitter Handles
Here are 9 corporate tweets that were best forgotten.
Dec. 9, 2013 — -- intro:
With the skyrocketing use of social media by companies, many are still learning the ropes of how to grab customers' attention with humorous or news-worthy messages that are still Twitter-tasteful. But it doesn't always work out that way.
Here are nine tweets from big brands that led to company apologies, including the latest uh-oh from SpaghettiOs.
quicklist:title: Campbell Soupmedia: 21148954text:
Over the weekend, Campbell Soup apologized for a tweet from its SpaghettiOs brand to commemorate the 72nd anniversary of the Pearl Harbor attack. An image showed its smiling mascot holding an American flag.
The tweet asked Twitter followers to "Take a moment to remember #PearlHarbor with us." Thousands retweeted the message, some criticizing the tone of the smiley mascot when more than 2,400 Americans were killed in the attack.
A representative for Campbell Soup Co., which owns SpaghettiOs, said that the message had been deleted on Saturday. SpaghettiOs sent a tweet that stated, "We apologize for our recent tweet in remembrance of Pearl Harbor Day. We meant to pay respect, not to offend."
Read More: SpaghettiOs Apologizes for Pearl Harbor Tweet
quicklist:title: Home Depot media: 20831144text:
In Nov. 2013, Home Depot apologized for a racist tweet after the home improvement store's Twitter account received unfavorable attention. The company said it fired the outside agency that created the Tweet and it was reviewing its social media procedures.
As a sponsor of College Gameday, the company tweeted an image of three drummers and the text: "Which drummer is not like the others?" leading to angry comments on Home Depot's Twitter and Facebook page.
Read More: Home Depot Apologizes for Racist Tweet Sent From Its Twitter Account
Stephen Holmes, director of corporate communications, released a statement saying, "We have zero tolerance for anything so stupid and offensive. The outside agency that created the Tweet and The Home Depot associate who posted it have been terminated. We're also closely reviewing our social media procedures to determine how this could have happened, and how to ensure it never happens again."
quicklist:title: AT&Tmedia: 20226569text:
To commemorate the 12th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks, AT&T tweeted a photo of a phone with an image of the Twin Towers, leading to criticism that the carrier was capitalizing on the tragedy.
Read More: AT&T Slammed on Twitter and Facebook For Sept. 11 Marketing Move
"We apologize to anyone who felt our post was in poor taste. The image was solely meant to pay respect to those affected by the 9/11 tragedy," AT&T tweeted after pulling down the original image.
quicklist:title: Forever 21media: 20831489text:Clothing company Forever 21 experienced Twittersphere backlash when it tweeted a photo of three Caucasian models wearing t-shirts with Ice Cube, City of Compton and NWA, which is short for n*****s with attitudes.
The company deleted the tweet and pulled the t-shirts from its website.
quicklist:title: Atlanta Journal-Constitutionmedia: 20831618text:The Atlanta Journal-Constitution tweeted in October: "$1M GA Lottery winner Willie Lynch can get 40 acres and a whole lotta mules." The message refers to a post-Civil War proposal to give freed slaves land previously held by whites.
After receiving unfavorable attention, Atlanta Journal-Constitution editor Kevin Riley released a statement that read: "The Atlanta Journal-Constitution sincerely regrets an earlier Twitter message that contained an inappropriate statement. We took immediate action to apologize via social media and on our website and will issue an apology in Thursday morning's print edition. We do not condone such offensive messages and are reviewing our procedures to ensure this type of error does not happen again. Additionally, we are taking the appropriate disciplinary action with the individuals involved."
quicklist:title: Hollister media: 20831645text: Clothing company Hollister apologized after models the firm sent to South Korea for a store opening tweeted racist photos and messages.
One Twitter message stated: "Hahahaha they ruhhvvvv itttt!"
The company fired the models.
"On behalf of our more than 80,000 associates around the world who cherish our core values and our culture of diversity and inclusion, we sincerely apologize for the offense caused by these unauthorized, ill-considered actions," Hollister wrote in an apology.
quicklist:title: Chryslermedia: 20833116text: An outside agency working for Chrysler accidentally tweeted the F-word in a message that stated, "I find it ironic that Detroit is known as the #motorcity and yet no one here knows how to f------ drive."
The company apologized and said its account was "compromised." The carmaker did not renew its contract with the agency.
quicklist:title: Entenmann'smedia: 20833127text:
Baked goods producer Entenmann's received flack for using a #notguilty hashtag on the day of the verdict for Casey Anthony's trial. The company deleted the tweet and apologized.
quicklist:title: Kenneth Cole media: 20833183text:
As the revolutions of the Arab Spring unfolded in the Middle East in 2011, the Kenneth Cole Twitter account stated: "Millions are in uproar in #Cairo. Rumor is they heard our new spring collection is now available online."
The company apologized by tweeting: "We weren't intending to make light of a serious situation. We understand the sensitivity of this historic moment."
quicklist:title: Vodafonemedia: 20833193text: Twitter users were shocked when VodaphoneUK's Twitter account sent out a homophobic tweet with sexual language. The employee behind the tweet was fired and the company apologized.
The company tweeted to offended users, "We weren't hacked. A severe breach of rules by staff in our building, dealing with that internally. We're very sorry."
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