Bloomingdale’s apologizes for ‘spike your best friend’s eggnog’ ad

This winter season is shaping up to be a doozy in the world of controversial marketing strategies. First came the Starbucks red cup controversy (we can’t really say it’s their fault), and now Bloomingdale’s is coming under fire for a magazine ad that none-too-subtly suggests that slipping something into your lady friend’s drink when she’s not looking is totally an ok thing to do.

Tech Insider discovered the ad tucked inconspicuously inside Bloomingdale’s holiday catalogue. The ad features a well dressed man staring at his female companion in a manner that can only be described as nefarious, while she laughs and looks the other way, entirely unaware that her “friend” is about to slip something into her beverage. The text between the couple reads, “Spike your best friend’s eggnog when they’re not looking.”

While issues of consent and sexual assault make headlines daily, Bloomingdale’s somehow missed the boat on the whole date-rape-jokes-aren’t-funny memo.

But they’re certainly getting the message now. Tech Insider reached out to Bloomingdale’s and received the following statement:

“In reflection of recent feedback, the copy we used in our recent catalog was inappropriate and in poor taste. Bloomingdale’s sincerely apologizes for this error in judgment.”

Yes, Bloomngdale’s is sorry, but that hasn’t stopped the Twitterverse from exploding in horror at the company’s poor taste and judgement.

“Here’s Bloomingdales advertising festive date rape and non-consensual drug abuse to sell fashion. Stay classy,” British cookbook author Jack Monroe wrote.

Bloomingdale’s later tweeted a direct apology to Monroe for the ad, but that didn’t stop her from posting this follow-up Tweet:

“In case it needs saying,
DO NOT SPIKE YOUR BEST FRIEND’S EGGNOG.
OR ANYONE’S EGGNOG.
OR ANYONE’S DRINKS.
EVER.
#Bloomingdales”

The majority of Twitter expressed more disbelief than anything else.

@PTMPzine tweets: “Wow bloomingdales, just wow. That really is an insane advert. How did that get passed?”