Bath & Body Works discontinued its winter-themed “Snowed In” candle products after drawing comparisons to the Ku Klux Klan. Amid stirring controversy on social media, the American retail company issued an apology, stating that its questionable designs were “unintentional.”
Earlier this month, Bath & Body Works released a package design for a three-wick winter candle stylized paper snowflake.
Highlights
- Bath & Body Works apologized for a controversial candle design.
- The 'Snowed In' candle drew comparisons to Ku Klux Klan imagery.
- The candle was pulled from the website and retail stores.
- An eBay listing sold the candle despite its controversial design.
- Dr. Collins stressed the importance of diversity in business to avoid missteps.
The product, adorned with six white ghostly figures seemingly wearing white pointed hoods, quickly sparked outrage online.
Instagrammer “_scentsgalore” shared a snap of the problematic design on October 9, stating: “@bathandbodyworks removed this candle from the site!
“Don’t be surprised if we do not see this one in store! Initially, I did not see it but now I can’t unsee it!
“Do better @bathandbodyworks! People are quick [to] cancel brands [whether] they had ill intentions or not!
“Corporate is responsible for approving these designs and nobody caught this?”
Bath & Body Works discontinued its winter-themed “Snowed In” candle products
Image credits: Larry Hachucka
"Snowed In" further gained traction on Reddit’s “Bath and Body Works” community page, as a Redditor commented: “Out of all the 'paper snowflake' designs to go with, they go with this one?
“I've made a lot of paper snowflakes as a kid and none of them ever had two eye holes in the point.”
A person wrote: “The Klan Krismas Kandle?!? No, thank you, ma’am.”
Someone else penned: “Hate it, KKK or scary Martians.”
A separate individual chimed in: “Looks like we have KKK candles now…lol I cannot unsee this!”
Image credits: Johor Premium Outlets
The infamous candle has since been pulled from the Bath & Body Works website and retail locations.
Moreover, the company issued the following message: “At Bath & Body Works, we are committed to listening to our teams and customers and committed to fixing any mistakes we make, even those that are unintentional like this one.
“We apologize to anyone we’ve offended and are swiftly working to have this item removed and are evaluating our process going forward.”
"Snowed In" candles drew comparisons to the Ku Klux Klan
Image credits: Bath and Body Works
Nevertheless, the candle appeared to have been sold on eBay, with one person attempting to sell one for $350, CNN reported on Monday (October 14).
According to the e-commerce company’s website, the listing sold on Monday at 1:53 PM. The candle remained on eBay since it was not explicitly racist, as per CNN.
“eBay policies prohibit listings that include racist terms or language,” a company spokesperson said. “Any items being marketed using racist language will be blocked or removed.”
Image credits: bathandbodyworksmexico
Dr. Marcus Collins, a marketing professor at the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan, commented on the controversy, writing for Forbes on Monday: “Despite the swift action of the retailer, one can't help but wonder how this sort of misstep continues to happen.”
Dr. Collins went on to highlight Heinz's recent mishap that saw two of its ketchup advertisements accused of perpetuating racial bias against Black people.
One of Heinz’s recent ads faced significant criticism for seemingly erasing Black fathers, while another was compared to Blackface.
Amid the stirring controversy on social media, the American retailing company issued an apology
Image credits: communityfostercare
“The act of interpretation is a complex phenomenon,” Dr. Collins explained. “The world presents itself with an endless stream of information that hits our senses, which we attempt to make sense of in order to engage with it.”
He continued: “This cognitive process is not neutral. Instead, it is colored and influenced by the cultural frames that help us make meaning of the gigabytes of data we encounter every day.
“That's why when some see a Black man eating a messy burger that leaves a ketchup residue reminiscent of a Joker smile, they see a Halloween-themed iconography, while others might see a symbolic reference to minstrel Blackface.”
Image credits: communityfostercare
The professor concluded: “Remember, at the end of the day, it's not about your intention but about your words' impact on others.
“So next time, when you're crafting a message, take a moment to consider not just what you're saying but how it might be translated by people who operate by a different meaning-making system than you do.
“This is why diversity is so unbelievably critical for contemporary business: because you can't see what you don't see.”
The Ku Klux Klan (KKK) is a white supremacist hate group founded in 1865 in Pulaski, Tennessee, USA, shortly after the American Civil War.
The Ku Klux Klan (KKK) is a white supremacist hate group founded in 1865 in Pulaski, Tennessee, shortly after the American Civil War
Image credits: From the Collections of The Henry Ford.
It was initially formed to oppose Reconstruction and intimidate newly freed African Americans, using violence and terrorism to uphold white dominance.
The group experienced multiple revivals in the 20th century, targeting not only Black Americans but also immigrants, Catholics, Jews, and other minorities. While diminished today, the KKK remains a symbol of racism and hate in the US.
The KKK's uniforms typically consist of long, white robes with pointed hoods that cover the face, often leaving only the eyes visible.
Image credits: Underwood & Underwood
These outfits are designed to create an intimidating, ghost-like appearance and to conceal the wearers' identities during acts of violence and intimidation.
The robes sometimes feature symbols like crosses, with variations in color and design signifying different ranks within the group.
Most iterations of the KKK continued to decline in 2023, coupled with efforts by certain factions to rebrand and reinvent themselves, according to The Southern Poverty Law Center.
Of the 11 active groups in 2022, only eight have sustained their operations. Notably, some previously dormant Klan groups reactivated their presence in 2023, while two new groups formed.
"My first reaction was KKK," a reader commented
