Uh Oh, SpaghettiOs' Pearl Harbor Tweet Sparks Backlash, Company Apologizes

Uh Oh, SpaghettiOs' Pearl Harbor Tweet Sparks Backlash

On the 72nd anniversary of Japan's attack on the Pearl Harbor naval base, one company appears to have miscalculated how it would mark the occasion.

Late Friday night, the canned pasta maker SpaghettiOs sent out a tweet featuring its mascot holding an American flag asking people to "take a moment to remember #PearlHarbor with us."

LOOK:
spaghettios pearl harbor

There were some who questioned whether such a promotion was appropriate to the solemn occasion.

How is this respectful in any way at all RT @SpaghettiOs: Take a moment to remember #PearlHarbor with us. pic.twitter.com/s4ef4s2crv

β€” Jaren Peplinski (@jarenpeplinski) December 7, 2013

Hope nobody minds if I chose to remember Pearl Harbor and forever forget @SpaghettiOs. #TastelessCorporation

β€” Simply Laura (@Lauran0805) December 7, 2013

This tweet will live in infamy RT @SpaghettiOs: Take a moment to remember #PearlHarbor with us. http://t.co/FZNNyP08sF

β€” Mario Roa (@mariohroa) December 7, 2013

I think @SpaghettiOs is gonna have an opening for a new social media manager in a few hours.

β€” Maggie Serota (@maggieserota) December 7, 2013

On Saturday morning, SpaghettiOs deleted the offensive tweet and issued an apology:

We apologize for our recent tweet in remembrance of Pearl Harbor Day. We meant to pay respect, not to offend.

β€” SpaghettiOs (@SpaghettiOs) December 7, 2013

But some suggested that the SpaghettiOs flap may have increased its brand awareness anyway:

Yeah, yeah, keep laughing, but I bet you guys hadn't thought of @SpaghettiOs in years until yesterday.

β€” πŸ’€πŸŒΈ Joseph πŸŒΈπŸ’€ (@seph_barker) December 7, 2013

While others simply noted the sad irony inherent in the whole thing:

Twitter has spent the last 12 hrs talking about @SpaghettiOs. Humanity is doomed.

β€” Clara Jeffery (@ClaraJeffery) December 7, 2013

Campbell Soup Company, which owns SpaghettiOs, did not return a request for comment from The Huffington Post.

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