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U.K. Furniture Company Uses Iran to Promote Self on Twitter
In what could only be described as a dumb (if not callous) move, the design-oriented, U.K.-based furniture seller Habitat decided to come to the Iran/Twitter party with hopes of peddling its wares. With hash-tags (also known as #tags) featuring 'iran' and 'mousavi' (increasingly popular as the world tries to stay abreast of the situation in Iran), Habitat did not protest brutality or election-rigging, but instead encouraged users to enter its daily sweepstakes.
Naturally, as they well should, Twitter users lambasted the company for so insensitively using the crisis in Iran for self-promotion.
As soon as the gaffe was publicized, Habitat stepped forth and, according to the BBC, released an apology stating: "This was absolutely not authorized by Habitat. We were shocked when we discovered what happened and are very sorry for the offense that has been caused." Apology notwithstanding, the company has not yet stated who was at fault for the tasteless tweets.
This seems to be a perfect case study on how not to use Twitter. In defense of Habitat, the company does strive to be a socially conscious, eco-friendly, and art-supporting manufacturer, so hopefully it will recover from this ugly mistake. [From: BBC.co.uk]
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Comments
9
Subscribe to commentsJim FedulloJun 28th 2009 3:17PM
I have been in the furniture bus. for almost 40 years and bus. must be worse than ever if they need to do this to get sales. I have worked w. thomasville, drexel, pennsylvania house, hickory white & many hi-end lines and never saw an ad like that. I have seen misleading ads, mis-represented ads, false ads, bait & switch ads , but doing this is a new one. If it were me I wouldn't do business w/ a co. who acted this sleezy. Oh, remember that name , HABITAT FURN. CO from the United Kingdom, their warranty probably sucks to.
dnvs28Jun 28th 2009 3:39PM
Really? This is important? Was someone hurt? Was anyone's life at all affected by this, aside from time wasted on reading this?
sooocJun 28th 2009 4:38PM
dnvs28 ---- your statement was the most idiotic thing I have read all day
SueJun 28th 2009 5:11PM
They not only need to apologize for the wording, but the hideously ugly sofa.
gillischasJun 28th 2009 6:22PM
Why not try to make a buck on those filthy weak minded iranians, they are all a worthless lot anyway and should certainly be good for something, afterall they promote terrorism and openly hope & pray for the destruction of both the big and little satans of the world!
RichardJun 28th 2009 6:50PM
On twitter, who cares, and who cares what anyone on these sites do or say, besides they are in the UK
hillsamuraiJun 28th 2009 7:29PM
My wife and I went to a Habitat store in the U.K. when we lived there in the '80's. The store sells high priced euro trash. It is best consigned to the fireplace.
pah137Jun 28th 2009 7:40PM
Unbelievable. I'm in the business and originally from the UK and can't believe how the taste there is becoming so absolutely tasteless.
LTJun 28th 2009 8:39PM
Shit happens. This isn't surprising, every time something bad happens somewhere, there are always those eager to capitalize on it in one way or another.