Dutch airline slammed for ‘misjudged’ Amsterdam Pride message
A Dutch airline has been fending off criticism this week, after a tweet linked to Amsterdam Pride backfired.
KLM, which operates flights to and from The Netherlands, had posted a message featuring a number of rainbow-coloured seat belts, along with the message ‘it doesn’t matter who you click with.”
The belts were also placed in various different ways, with the different ends representing different types of relationships.
The company then finished off the message with a nod to Amsterdam Pride, as well as the rainbow flag emoji.
However, the message didn’t hit the spot, with swathes of people replying to point out only one of the combinations will actually work as a seat belt.
You guys didn’t think that one through, did you. pic.twitter.com/SpM356DkkA
— Reformed Phil Coulson (@XpCoulson) August 7, 2017
One Twitter user called the mishap a “marketing fail”, while others accused the team of “not thinking that one through”.
It also drew out a number of anti-LGBT commenters, one of which added: “So glad to see that there’s someone, hidden down deep in the bowels of your marketing department, who secretly gets natural law.”
Another said: “Thanks for demonstrating again why LGBT is absurd,” while others said the airline didn’t know how either seat belts or biology worked.”
The Dutch airline has stood by the promotion, however, saying it was clearly a metaphor to celebrate diversity.
Speaking to PinkNews, they added: “The statement we made with the image showing rainbow coloured safety belts is simply a metaphor that celebrates diversity.
“Safety for all passengers remains our primary priority. All passengers are required to use standard safety belts on KLM flights.”
Thanks for demonstrating again why LGBT is absurd:
— Metz (@WO4TG) August 7, 2017
What an idiotic advert. With airline belts it does indeed matter.
— AndreasP_RV (@AndreasP_RV) August 5, 2017
Not all the responses have been negative though, with some appreciating the sentiment behind the post.
“Please ignore the haters, both passive and overt.” wrote Stacey Weitzner. “Brilliant ad in tone, stance, and execution. Well done.”
Quite.
It comes shortly after Pride in London came under fire for creating a whole campaign based entirely on the views of straight people.
The series of posters, which were spread across the city in the run up to Pride, included messages such as i “I’m a straight man with gay pride”, “My gay friends make me more attractive by association” and “being homophobic is sooo gay”.
Speaking at the time a spokesperson for Pride in London said they had “misjudged” the campaign, before removing them from the series.
