Krispy Kreme KKK - A Krispy Kreme franchise store in the United Kingdom is at the center of controversy after advertising promotions for customers called "KKK Wednesday," offending many with the allusion to the notorious U.S. racist organization with the same acronym.
Reports indicate that Krispy Kreme quickly issued an apology to customers for the blunder, which they say was part of an 'unintentional oversight.'
The branch of the doughnut chain came up with the acronym KKK from 'Krispy Kreme Klub.' The event was part of a series of activities lined-up for kids during a one week school break .Those who visited would be allowed to decorate doughnuts at the store located in Hull, England.
However, the acronym is more infamously associated with the white supremacist group, the Ku Klux Klan.
"We do believe this was a completely unintentional oversight on the part of our longtime franchise partners in the UK," a statement from the Krispy Kreme spokesperson Lafeea Watson read.
The advertising promotion was created specifically for that outlet. The 'Krispy Kreme KKK' club went viral after the company posted it on it's Facebook page, where many people online pointed out the obvious.
"We are truly sorry for any inconvenience or offense this misstep may have caused our fans," the official statement read, adding that the outlet had learnt their lessons and would be more thorough in the future.
According to Watson, by Tuesday the offensive post has since been removed from Facebook and all other promotional materials related to it have also been taken away from the store.
"They have taken quick and appropriate actions to remove the materials online and in-shops, and have wholeheartedly apologized to their customers. They have also assured us that they will be taking greater precautions with their publicity materials in the future."
