Holy. Shit.
An advertisement for Virgin Mobile that hints at sexual assault was recently pulled after Twitter users (including Richard Branson) raged.
The print ad features a middle-aged man standing behind a woman. He's covering her eyes with one hand and holds a wrapped gift in the other. The caption reads: "The gift of Christmas surprise. Necklace? Or chloroform?"
Chloroform is sometimes used in assaults to make the victim pass out. The sketchy attempt at humor angered just about everyone who saw it. The Guardian UK reported that Twitter comments included "This advert is a disgrace. The suggesttion (sic) of violence is not funny and perpetuates misogyny" and "@virginmobileus u think normalisation of rape or violence is funny?"
Branson, who sold Virgin Mobile USA to Sprint Nextel several years ago, responded to the outrage on the Virgin Group site. "Having just seen, for the first time, the Virgin Mobile US advert which has upset many today, I agree it is ill-judged.
Although I don't own the company, it carries our brand. I will speak to the team there, make my thoughts clear and see what can be done about it. Virgin Mobile US usually get these things right, although on this occasion it is clear they have gone too far."
Branson later posted an update explaining that the post was made by an "external agency that was not approved by Virgin Mobile US. They acknowledge a dreadful mistake was made. The advert, along with the whole calendar, has been removed, never to be seen again."
Except on the Internet, where nothing is ever really gone.
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I honestly expected that it was some 4chan/Reddit hack, it's utterly disgusting that something of this level was earnestly posted as "funny".
/coolestofstoriesbro
i havent started looking at other companies, but i think like virgin's the cheapest if you have a plan just by yourself
every other company is so much more expensive unless you have some ~family plan~
I do Boost Mobile and it isn't bad! $50 a month for unlimited data, texting, and calls with shrinkage down to $35 if you make payments on time.
Weeping RN on my Canadian phone bill that is $72 and I get a shiny 1 whole GB of data a month~*~
I'm sorry bb :(
$45 for networks like at&t and tmobile which are better than shitty sprint
Still some people were extremely rude when they found out we were in Mexico. Like telling me how I was a lesser person than them because she was going to go out for sushi and margaritas after she hung up on my incompetent ass. As if sushi and margaritas don't exist in Mexico.
If I ever hear that Taylor Swift song again I'm going to go on a murderous rampage.