Bloomingdale’s is apologizing after critics said one of its holiday advertisements appeared to promote date rape.
In the advertisement, part of Bloomingdale’s new holiday catalog, a woman laughs with her head tossed back. Meanwhile, seemingly unbeknownst to the smiling woman, a man stares at her. The text between them reads: “Spike your best friend’s eggnog when they’re not looking.”
Images of the catalog ad sparked immediate backlash on social media, with many people saying it seemed to encourage date rape.
Bloomingdale’s tweeted an apology on Tuesday, calling the catalog copy “inappropriate.”
"In reflection of recent feedback, the copy we used in our current catalog was inappropriate and in poor taste. Bloomingdale's sincerely apologizes for this error in judgment,” the company said in a statement to NBC News.
Bloomingdale’s is not the only large company to face accusations of promoting date rape in its advertisements.
In April, Bud Light faced criticism over its tagline “The perfect beer for removing the word 'no' from your vocabulary for the night.” The slogan was part of the beer brand’s “Up for Whatever” campaign.
Bloomingdale’s has not commented on the process of reviewing advertisements or any disciplinary action resulting from the debacle.
