The Kellogg food brand came under fire this past week after it posted a rather disturbing message to its official Kellogg’s U.K Twitter account. In the post, which has since been deleted, the company writes, “1 RT = 1 breakfast for a vulnerable child.”
Social media users on the micro-blogging service were quick to attack the company, claiming that it was preying on the hearts of social media users, while denying children free meals unless there was something in it for the company.
The tweet was part of the company’s current “Give a Child a Breakfast” campaign which is meant to help hungry children receive a free meal.
Following the now deleted Kellogg’s tweet customers were not happy:
“@KelloggsUK: 1RT = 1 breakfast for a vulnerable child” Anyone else find this kinda creepy? Like sayin “Help us advertise or kids go hungry”
— James Wong (@Botanygeek) November 9, 2013
@KelloggsUK sick bastards, if you have the capability to feed vulnerable children then do so. This is sickening.
— Perry (@AdamDanielPerry) November 10, 2013
Before the Kellogg’s tweet debacle could get to far out of hand the Twitter message was deleted and Kellogg’s quickly issued the following apology:
We want to apologise for the recent tweet, wrong use of words. It’s deleted. We give funding to school breakfast clubs in vulnerable areas.
— Kellogg’s UK (@KelloggsUK) November 10, 2013
The apology hasn’t sat well with many users, here is a pretty good indicator of the comments that have been left since the apology was issued:
.@KelloggsUK Not “wrong use of words”, you said exactly what you meant to say. It was just a lousy social marketing plan.
— The_No_Show (@The_No_Show) November 10, 2013
.@KelloggsUK I think your apology would sound more convincing if you just admitted that you were wrong as opposed to blaming poor English..
— Helen Partridge (@gingerfury) November 10, 2013
Poor English from a British division of the company? Seems like an odd and poorly executed way to issue an apology.
When will companies learn that social media users see through “retweet begging” and are always ready to openly attack such exploitative approaches.
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