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[UPDATE: Store Issues Apology] 'Respect' for MLK: Surf Shop Celebrates With '20% Off All Black Products' Sale

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[UPDATE: Store Issues Apology] 'Respect' for MLK: Surf Shop Celebrates With '20% Off All Black Products' Sale

Tuesday, January 18, 2011 at 12:40 p.m.
By CHASEN MARSHALL
A A
UPDATE, JAN. 18, 12:40 P.M.: Thalia Surf Shop has issued an apology on its official blog. See bottom of post for more info.

ORIGINAL ITEM, JAN. 17, 3:30 P.M.: Sure, we've all seen stores and restaurants play up holiday sales for the sakes of their bottom lines. But there are times when someone with a decent head on their shoulders should speak up and call a bad idea a "bad idea."


For instance, when the country is celebrating the birthday of, arguably, the most influential civil-rights activist, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., boasting a sale with "20% Off All Black Products" is about as bad an idea as bad ideas go.

The ad is after the jump.

A bad idea.
A bad idea.

Putting the head of Dr. King on the body of a surfer wearing a wetsuit to promote a MLK Day sale is worthy of a giggle. People like a well-Photoshopped gag. But the rest is pretty damn inexcusable.

The culprit? Thalia Surf Shop in Laguna Beach. It appeared on the website. Certainly a great shop, with plenty of cool events and gatherings--we recognized it as Best Surf Shop in OC in 2009--but this was not the wisest ad campaign. 

As the individual who alerted the Weekly to the ad said, "This is not acceptable. It's not funny, amusing nor respectable."

Respect? Not quite.

UPDATE: Thalia Surf Shop has issued an apology on the store's official blog:

'Respect' Image Apology

Jan. 18, 2011: Yesterday, we at Thalia Surf sent out a newsletter announcing our MLK Day Sale. In no way did we intend to hurt or offend anyone. For those that took offense or disrepect, we truly are sorry. We took down the ad for our sale to hopefully calm the waters and in the future will be more careful in our selection of promotions. We appreciate the support from customers and patrons of Thalia Surf that know us and know that we meant no harm. Thanks.
Nick Cocores
Owner, Thalia Surf

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