Answer: more than one, which is one too many.
American department store Bloomingdale’s has actually managed to find itself on the wrong side of rape culture, for approving and publishing an ad that legitimately promotes date rape.
The ad – which appears in their most recent Christmas catalogue – features a man looking at an unsuspecting woman and is emblazoned with the words: “Spike your best friend’s eggnog when they’re not looking.”
Fascinated that throughout the editing process, nobody suggested this Christmas ad is a bad idea #Bloomingdales pic.twitter.com/zUaNJnlK7y
— Lara DiamondPhillips (@Laradp) November 11, 2015
Between the initial concept brainstorm, the multiple drafts, the proofing stage, and the final approval, we must ask ourselves the question: HOW MANY PEOPLE DID THIS HAVE TO GO THROUGH FOR IT TO EXIST IN THE WORLD OF 2015?
That, my friends, is groupthink.
Since the inevitable social media backlash / shit-storm, Bloomingdale’s execs have evidently woken up, had their blood pressure spike, and then screamed down a phone “I want to know HOW, I want to know WHY, and I DAMN sure want to know who” before promptly apologising whole-heartedly for the ad on Twitter.
We heard your feedback about our catalog copy, which was inappropriate and in poor taste. Bloomingdale’s sincerely apologizes.
— Bloomingdale’s (@Bloomingdales) November 10, 2015
