Kenneth Cole's Egypt Tweet Offends Just About Everyone on Twitter

Let's say you're an American shoe designer with a spring collection to promote. And let's say the world is focused on a historic revolution in North Africa. What do you do?

Well, in what may go down as one of the more tacky marketing ploys in recent history, here's what Kenneth Cole did via Twitter:

Millions are in uproar in #Cairo. Rumor is they heard our new spring collection is now available online at http://bit.ly/KCairo -KCless than a minute ago via Twitter for BlackBerry®Kenneth Cole
KennethCole

Now Cole is being criticized for "hijacking" the #Cairo hashtag, which has been helping Twitter users track the latest news from Egypt.

TechCrunch's Michael Arrington puts it succinctly.

WTF is wrong with you, @KennethCole ? http://twitter.com/#!/KennethCole/status/33177584262971393less than a minute ago via webMichael Arrington
arrington

Some people are calling for a Kenneth Cole boycott.

@KennethCole Totally poor taste. People are dying in the streets and you want to advertise your fashions? #boycottKennethColeless than a minute ago via webJennifer Lizak
jlizak

Here's a good question: How much of the outrage was anticipated?

I have to say the #Kennethcole tweet made me giggle; they had to know there would be backlash.. They are now in a PR nightmare. Intended???less than a minute ago via TweetDeckChris Meitzler
Meitzler

Another problem: Kenneth Cole is known for edgy ad campaigns, but this one wasn't even very clever.

Frankly, the problem with the @kennethcole #Egypt tweet wasn't "insensitivity." it's that the joke was LAME.less than a minute ago via TwitterrificRon Hogan
RonHogan

In what has to be an Internet speed record, a parody @kennethcolepr account was created within minutes of Cole's first Cairo tweet, and the #KennethColeTweets hashtag took off. A sampling:

"People from New Orleans are flooding into Kenneth Cole stores!" #KennethColeTweetsless than a minute ago via webKennethColePR
KennethColePR

One thing the Sudan Liberation Army and the Justice and Equality Movement can agree on? Our hot new looks! #Darfubulous #KennethColeTweetsless than a minute ago via webKennethColePR
KennethColePR

As for the real Kenneth Cole, he's sorry (sort of).

Re Egypt tweet: we weren't intending to make light of a serious situation. We understand the sensitivity of this historic moment -KCless than a minute ago via Twitter for BlackBerry®Kenneth Cole
KennethCole

What do you think? Was this an offhand remark that happened to go viral, or did Kenneth Cole intend to cause a controversy this big?

More Egypt coverage from Surge Desk:
Anderson Cooper Tells Twitter That He's Sore But OK After Egypt Attack
Ahmed Maher: 5 Facts on the Facebook Activist Allegedly Arrested in Cairo
Egypt Upheaval Today; Jordan, Syria and Saudi Arabia Unrest Tomorrow?

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