Retail giant Bloomingdale’s has apologized for a print advertisement that is being criticized for appearing to encourage date rape.
The advertisement, currently running in the department store’s holiday brochures, depicts a well-dressed man casting a sneaky glance at a woman laughing beside him. The copy: “Spike your best friend’s egg nog when they’re not looking.”
The ad drew swift condemnation on social media:
Bloomingdale’s quickly issued an apology for the ad: “We heard your feedback about our catalog copy, which was inappropriate and in poor taste. Bloomingdale’s sincerely apologizes.” In an official statement, the company blamed an “error in judgement” for releasing the ad.
Unfortunately for the retailer, the ad has already been included in thousands of holiday brochures sent out to customers, so there is little it can do other than wait out the criticism.