Well, it looks like Bath & Body Works found itself in hot water over a Christmas candle, of all things. Yes, the retail giant sparked outrage when some customers claimed that the design on their “Snowed In” scented candle resembled—you guessed it—the hoods worn by members of the Ku Klux Klan. The candle, now being dubbed the “klandle” on social media, has ignited a firestorm of complaints, forcing the company into full-blown damage control mode.
Apparently, the snowflake design on the candle featured spindles with two little holes on either side, which some hyper-observant (and let’s face it, hyper-offended) consumers thought looked a little too much like the KKK’s notorious white hoods. Now, call me crazy, but when I see a snowflake on a Christmas candle, the last thing that comes to mind is the Klan. But, in today’s culture of constant outrage, no product is safe from being scrutinized for hidden—and often absurd—offenses.
As soon as this controversy blew up, Bath & Body Works scrambled to pull the candle from its website and issued a groveling apology. In a statement to TMZ, the company said, “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.” Ah yes, the classic corporate apology: “Sorry if you were offended, we’ll make sure to over-correct immediately.”
Bath & Body Works apologized for a candle promoted on its social media accounts displaying a snowflake, which some said appeared quite similar to a Ku Klux Klan hood. https://t.co/rx8h3KQWB7
— TODAY (@TODAYshow) October 12, 2024
Naturally, Twitter—or X, as it’s now called—had plenty to say. One user dramatically announced they were “done with the internet” after discovering the “klandle” nickname. Another declared that Bath & Body Works should fire everyone responsible for the candle design, complete with a face palm emoji for emphasis. And, of course, someone chimed in with the usual, “Maybe you need some minorities reviewing these items too,” as if the lack of “diversity” on the candle-design committee is the real crisis here.
Maybe you need some minorities reviewing these items too…
Bath & Body Works Apologizes And Pulls Candle Depicting KKK Hood-Like Design #Design #Marketing #Amazonhttps://t.co/2YEQYXNCYs— Dianne Bradley (@DianneB80114328) October 11, 2024
On the flip side, others criticized the company for bending to the mob. One user called those offended by the candle “too fucking soft,” and another pointed out that people complaining likely don’t even know the real history of the KKK. At this point, you’ve got to wonder if it’s the product that’s the problem—or the people looking for something, anything, to be mad about.
Y’all too fucking soft … like fr. Making bath and body works remove a candle cause the ENLARGED snowflake looks like “ kkk hoods. “
But won’t cancel / remove the real problem which is degeneracy…— ཐི ↁ ཋྀ (@dtheactivizt) October 11, 2024
This is yet another example of a company bending over backward to placate the professionally offended. Instead of standing by their obviously innocent snowflake design, Bath & Body Works folded like a cheap lawn chair. But hey, at least the “klandle” controversy provided some holiday entertainment for the rest of us—because nothing says “Merry Christmas” quite like manufactured outrage.
