Today the department store chain Bloomingdale’s is publicly apologizing for an ad that is part of its new holiday catalog. Some believe that the ad (shown above) encourages date rape. With a headline that reads “Spike Your Friend’s Eggnog When They’re Not Looking” appearing alongside a man and a woman it’s easy to see why. The ad unleashed immediate condemnation on social media, with one Twitter user tweeting, “And an even bigger fail. ‘Spike your female friend’s eggnog.’ ok @Bloomingdales do you not see the date rape msg here?” In response, the company said “In reflection of recent feedback, the copy we used in our current catalog was inappropriate and in poor taste. Bloomingdale’s sincerely apologizes for this error in judgment.” Fair enough. But it begs the question: How did the ad get released in the first place? Why didn’t someone at Bloomingdale’s (or their ad agency, or whomever produced the catalog) stop and question it? Is it because we’ve grown morally insensitive to the point that we don’t reflect on what it is we’re saying to people? What do you think?
Sources: NBC News, Bloomingdale’s
Media Ethics Report 