Kentucky Fried Chicken’s German Division has apologized for an automatic promotional message it sent to its app users. It was the worst advertising error since a Rhode Island sports grill thought that using the words “Anne Frank”, and “ovens” in one sentence was comical gold. As if it were a holiday, the message mentioned Kristallnacht (Night of Broken Glass), the 1938 start of the Holocaust. The Washington Post
KFC Germany sent push notifications to its app users on Wednesday, the 84th anniversary of the brutal riots. According to Google translations, the notification stated that customers could add tender cheese to crispy chicken for the “[c]ommemoration] of the Reich pogrom evening.” “Now at KFCheese.”
@KFCDeutschland Nein ich möchte keinen zarten Cheese zu meinem knusprigen Chicken am #9november pic.twitter.com/Ikwy5TKa5S
— LEVINSKY (@djlevinsky) November 9, 2022
Does anyone know the German term for “oops?”
A brief history lesson is necessary before we get into the muck of this mess. Kristallnacht was created as revenge for the murder of a German diplomat at Parish by a Polish Jewish student in November 1938. Nazi officials used the opportunity to encourage violence against German Jews and “unplanned” riots. All local police received telegrams stating that they would not interfere with any attack on Jews or Jewish-owned property. Fire departments were instructed not to attempt to extinguish fires at synagogues and instead to focus their efforts on nearby Aryan-owned buildings.
91 Jews were killed during two days and nights in violence on November 9th-10th, 1938. Across the country, synagogues were set on fire. It was mass vandalism that took place in Jewish-owned homes, businesses, and cemeteries. Three thousand German Jewish men, all German Jews, were arrested and sent into concentration camps. This was the beginning of the Holocaust, as we have already noted.
These incidents cannot be ignored. These issues must be discussed in schools and in public schools. These are warning signs that ordinary citizens can be satanically indoctrinated with the belief in inhumane turning against their neighbor is the noble, righteous execution of the divine will or proper assertion of racial/religious supremacy. These atrocities and the 1994 Rwandan genocide are proof that such evils can’t happen anymore.
The KFC klutz move. The lack of attention to the event calendar was the reason the company sent the message.
KFC app users in Germany received an unintentional push notification on November 9 that contained an insensitive, inappropriate and unacceptable message. We sincerely apologize for this error. Our semi-automated content creation process is linked to calendars that contain national observances. This was because our internal review process wasn’t followed properly, which resulted in a non-approved notification. As a precaution, we have temporarily suspended all app communications while we review our current process and make sure that this does not happen again. We are aware of the gravity and historical significance of this event and we remain committed to equity and inclusion for all.
They remembered every word of the current waking words.
I mean, seriously, how bad can you be at work for this to happen?! Next, what about a Ramadan lunchtime special for Muslims who observe Ramadan? Of course, I am being facetious. Would such a mistake ever be made? Never in a million years. If it were to happen, every KFC Germany would be transformed into a car wash the next morning. Every politician would scream their heads over the insensitivity, bigotry, etc. ad nauseam. This date marks the death of six million Jews 84 years ago. It’s a perfect time to make a chicken sandwich. We’ll also send a press release called “teehee-oopsie”. It’s all fine, right?
Perhaps KFC Germany could hire Kyrie Irving, in his newly-found extended time, to become its new spokesperson.