Krispy Kreme UK advertised 'KKK Wednesdays' on its Facebook page
Krispy Kreme Doughnuts just advertised "KKK Wednesdays" on its UK Facebook page. The notice came from its Hull branch and showcased some exciting half-term activities for school kids as they take a week-long break from school.
Here's the online poster:
The post, which was removed pretty quickly after people pointed out that the letters "KKK" elude to something more sinister than a mid-week doughnut, initially seems reasonable enough. It lists a coffee morning on Sunday, and a "Funday" on Monday. (We're not entirely sure what this is.)
But things get questionable on Feb. 18, when "KKK Wednesday" pops up between 12 and 5pm. The company tells Business Insider UK that it's not supposed to be racist. It stands for "Krispy Kreme Klub." Unfortunately, it's also the initials of the US-based white supremacist group, the Klu Klux Klan.
As you can see on the ad, "KKK Wednesday" follows "Colouring Tuesday," and a day later "Face Painting Thursday" is booked in. The Hull Daily Mail reports that the club was a national campaign, but only the Hull branch decided to use it in its half-term plans.
Although some people were quick to point out the disparaging nature of Krispy Kreme's blunder, some appear to have made a joke out of it ...
We reached out to Krispy Kreme for comment. A spokesperson responded pretty quickly - note "Club" is now spelt with a C.
We are aware of the Hull store's unfortunate naming choice for its Club program, and we are truly sorry for any inconvenience or offence this misstep may have caused our fans. We do believe this was a completely unintentional oversight on the part of our longtime franchise partners in the UK. They have taken quick and appropriate actions to remove the materials online and in shops, and have wholeheartedly apologised to their consumers. They have also assured us that they will be taking greater precautions with their publicity materials in the future.