Walmart apologizes for sweaters featuring Santa with cocaine

[Stevicus]

Walmart apologizes for sweaters featuring Santa with cocaine, pants off

Walmart Inc. has apologized for an adults-only Christmas sweater that appeared to depict Santa with cocaine on its Canadian website, according to a report.

The retailer WMT, -0.17% pulled the holiday outfit — along with several other risque seasonal sweaters — Saturday after they caused a stir with social media users, Global News Canada reported.

“These sweaters, sold by a third-party seller on Walmart.ca, do not represent Walmart’s values and have no place on our website,” a spokesperson told the outlet.” We have removed these products from our marketplace. We apologize for any unintended offense this may have caused.”

I'm kind of an irreverent, "nothing is sacred" kind of guy myself, although I can kind of see where some people would have a complaint over this.

Other items for sale depicted Father Christmas in compromising situations, including with his pants off — roasting his “chestnuts” — in front of a fireplace.

The threads quickly made the rounds on social media, where shoppers expressed shock about Saint Nick’s antics.

Whenever I see articles like this, my first question is: Who was the actual person(s) who created and designed this thing? Why don't they ever interview them and ask them just how in the heck came up with such a thing? That's the part that I find the most fascinating.

Someone was at work one day, someone whose job it is to create and design Christmas sweaters. One day, they had a great idea! They decided to design a sweater depicting Santa doing cocaine. They showed it to others, and they also thought it was a great idea. They showed it to their boss, who apparently thought "That's great! Let's send it into production right away!"

But then, it gets shown to the public who react in shock and horror. How could they not foresee that? How could they not realize how it would be received?

 

[BSM1]

Actually, notice the pile of balls on the table. That's not "cocaine", that's "Snocaine". You folks just have suspicious minds.

 

[Wu Wei]

Basically, IMO, its just wrong on many levels, and the folks at Walmart should have known that.

 

[Polymath257]

Sold by a third party on Walmart's website. Yep, that's a smart thing to do.

 

[Revoltingest]

While that might be the designer's intent, I don't see those lines as cocaine.
They're shaped like diamonds / clothing darts.
Cocaine lines are rod like.
(I know this from watching a great deal of TV.)

Some people just live to be offended by something, eh.
Btw, I like the sweater....it's not sappy, cutesy, or cloying.

 

[BSM1]

Basically, IMO, its just wrong on many levels, and the folks at Walmart should have known that.

This was probably a suggestion from one those smartass self checkers....

 

[Rival]

I find it amusing.

 

[ChristineM]

While that might be the designer's intent, I don't see those lines as cocaine.
They're shaped like diamonds / clothing darts.
Cocaine lines are rod like.
(I know this from watching a great deal of TV.)

Some people just live to be offended by something, eh.
Btw, I like the sweater....it's not sappy, cutesy, or cloying.

But the straw in his hand and the wonderful cheesy grin are dead giveaways

 

[Revoltingest]

But the straw in his hand and the wonderful cheesy grin are dead giveaways

Hey, he's in a good mood cuz he has a fine pencil.

 

[Brickjectivity]

While that might be the designer's intent, I don't see those lines as cocaine.
They're shaped like diamonds / clothing darts.
Cocaine lines are rod like.
(I know this from watching a great deal of TV.)

Some people just live to be offended by something, eh.
Btw, I like the sweater....it's not sappy, cutesy, or cloying.

They're sparkles that give the table more depth. Where is the supposed cocaine?

 

[Kangaroo Feathers]

Sold by a third party on Walmart's website. Yep, that's a smart thing to do.

pretty much the case for every one of these breathless "ZOMG! BIG FACELESS CORPORATION IS SELLING SOMETHING IN QUESTIONABLE TASTE!!" stories.

 

[Kangaroo Feathers]

But the straw in his hand and the wonderful cheesy grin are dead giveaways

The dude has to deliver presents to a billion kids in a 24 hour period, while consuming literal kilotonnes of alcohol. Anyone who expected Santa was doing this without chemical assistance is naive.

 

[ChristineM]

The dude has to deliver presents to a billion kids in a 24 hour period, while consuming literal kilotonnes of alcohol. Anyone who expected Santa was doing this without chemical assistance is naive.

And here was me thinking it was magic ;-)

 

[Kangaroo Feathers]

And here was me thinking it was magic ;-)

 

[HonestJoe]

But then, it gets shown to the public who react in shock and horror. How could they not foresee that? How could they not realize how it would be received?

It's probably a calculated risk. Most people won't care, a few people will find in funny and want to buy one and a few people will make a big noise about it and get them some free advertising. I doubt they sunk a massive investment in the product line and will have a whole new set of "controversial" sweaters available for next year.

 

[lukethethird]

I don't see the problem, maybe someone could explain it.

 

[columbus]

I don't see the problem, maybe someone could explain it.

That's what I was thinking.
Show me a pic of a sweater with Santa roasting his chest and nuts in front of a fireplace, and I might well buy one for the family Christmas get together and Doug's work Christmas party.

I'm just like that.
Tom

 

[sun rise]

pretty much the case for every one of these breathless "ZOMG! BIG FACELESS CORPORATION IS SELLING SOMETHING IN QUESTIONABLE TASTE!!" stories.

Having worked for a couple of 'big faceless corporations' in my day, I know that doing something stupid is not limited to things that get into the news.

 

[Wu Wei]

Having worked for a couple of 'big faceless corporations' in my day, I know that doing something stupid is not limited to things that get into the news.

Happens in Government too

 

[It Aint Necessarily So]

Looks like Mr. Hanky:

Santa is a long-time Cokehead: