FacebookAn Italian restaurant has got more than just its pasta in hot water and has come under fire for coercing the ‘Black Lives Matter’ slogan in order to promote itself.
Paisano’s restaurant in Alburquerque, New Mexico, has been accused of making a tasteless joke about the ‘Black Lives Matter’ protest when it shared pictures of its ‘Black Olives Matter Try Our Tapenade’ slogan outside the restaurant.
People didn’t see the funny side of the slogan though and took to social media to slam the restaurant, The Sun reports.
FacebookClaudia Sanchez wrote:
As a woman of color I find your posting offensive and in very bad taste.
You simply wish to rub salt in an ugly festering wound which evil minded people refuse to allow to heal. The civilized world no longer has any tolerance for your hateful public display of what passes to you as humor.
However, not everyone thought the message was offensive and Russell Berryman wrote: “Always love a good play on words. keep up the good work.”
FacebookRick Camuglia, the restaurant’s owner told KRQE:
We didn’t think anybody would be offended by that. It was not our intent to offend anybody.
Despite taking down the sign, the restaurant has capitalised on the controversy to promote itself and has even began selling t-shirts with the slogan on them.
While I can always appreciate a clever play on words, maybe don’t choose such a hot button topic for your marketing campaign…
More of a concept than a journalist, Tom Percival was forged in the bowels of Salford University from which he emerged grasping a Masters in journalism.
Since then his rise has been described by himself as ‘meteoric’ rising to the esteemed rank of Social Editor at UNILAD as well as working at the BBC, Manchester Evening News, and ITV.
He credits his success to three core techniques, name repetition, personality mirroring, and never breaking off a handshake.