One poorly placed sign has landed Walmart in some seriously hot water.
The retail company recently launched its superhero-themed back-to-school campaign. The slogan “Own the School Year Like a Hero,” looks great above a rack of Wonder Woman t-shirts or a stack of Captain America backpacks.
Where it doesn’t look so great is above a display case filled with firearms.
…what are you suggesting? @Walmart pic.twitter.com/Ng0LbtnAnf
— ZijZ (@ItsZijZ) August 9, 2017
The image quickly went viral, sparking outrage on Twitter.
uhhhh @Walmart we need to talk pic.twitter.com/Fwb4UdXf1D
— sara (@thisbemesara) August 9, 2017
“What’s seen in this photograph would never be acceptable in our stores,” Charles Crowson, a spokesman for Walmart said in a statement. “We regret this situation and are looking into how it could have happened.”
Leeanna May, the customer claiming she took the photo, told The Washington Post she was at a Walmart in Evansville, Indiana, early Wednesday morning when she and her husband walked by the sporting goods section. That’s where she saw the “disgusting” display.
May said she alerted a store employee, but was unable to find a manager.
“People don’t seem to honestly care,” she told the Post.
“We have already lost so many innocent lives to guns,” she added, clearly referring to school shootings.
Shortly, after posting the photo, Walmart responded on Twitter, asking May for the store’s location.
We appreciate you letting us know about this display. Which store location was this? -Vik
— Walmart (@Walmart) August 9, 2017
About an hour later, Walmart tweeted that the sign had been removed.
I’m happy to tell you our store manager Christina has removed the sign from the display. Thanks again for alerting us to this. -Vik
— Walmart (@Walmart) August 9, 2017
However, Crowson told the Post that the company does not believe the display was found at the Evansville store, as May claims. Photographs and surveillance video of the Evansville store supposedly do not match the configurations of the sporting goods section in May’s photograph.
May still insists the display was at a Walmart in Indiana, but according to Crowson, the investigation is ongoing.
It is also unknown whether an employee placed the sign above the display case, or if a customer purposefully moved it.
Sadly, this isn’t the first time Walmart has received flak for it’s alleged poor marketing decisions.
Last September, a Walmart in Panama City Beach, Florida, received widespread criticism for putting up this display.
Florida c’mon man pic.twitter.com/HU4y2rxgFG
— Shawn (@online_shawn) September 6, 2016
Ugh.
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