"[T]his might be one of the most “epic” fails in recent memory," Mediaite's Andrew Kirell noted as he opened up his noontime post about how a graphics glitch at Esquire's website mashed up a photo of a man falling to his death from the World Trade Center with the headline "Making Your Morning Commute More Stylish."
While, "clearly, Esquire did not mean to do this on purpose," it seems the magazine is not exactly falling over itself with effusive apologies. "The magazine tweeted out that the image was due to a 'stupid technical glitch.' They kinda-sorta 'apologized' for any confusion," Kirell noted, embedding the magazine's apology:
Relax, everybody. There was a stupid technical glitch on our "Falling Man" story and it was fixed asap. We're sorry for the confusion.
Relax, everybody. There was a stupid technical glitch on our "Falling Man" story and it was fixed asap. We're sorry for the confusion.
— Esquire Magazine (@Esquiremag) September 11, 2013
Relax?! Seriously?!
Fair enough, it was a "stupid technical glitch," but the dismissive tone to that tweet was insensitive to families of 9/11 victims not to mention tone-deaf public relations. Indeed, many Twitter users would agree, slamming the magazine in reply messages. Here are just a few:
- After you offend the world, you may want a softer apology. @Esquiremag -- @balfeC
- Uhhh. I defended you earlier. But now you're being f**king a**holes. So burn in hell forever, you dumb c*nts. -- @shitfoodblogger (foul language cleaned up)
- Surely @Esquiremag will replace the loser tweeting for them. "Relax" -- @michelleinCAL
- Not only did @Esquiremag have a major blunder, but whomever is doing their social media is NOT helping. We all make mistakes, but damn. -- @meeshsparks
- Relax? Are we supposed to apologize next? -- @kunkelIW
- Hey guys, are you aware your "apology" is actually more offensive than your gaffe? @Esquiremag @SaraFeed @WorldOfStu @wilsongarrett -- @balfeC
