Perhaps Dunkin’ Donuts should change its name to Doh!kin Donuts. Or Duh-kin Donuts. Because it has done something really dumb.
The company has pulled an online ad featuring celebrity chef Rachael Ray after complaints that a fringed black-and-white scarf she wore in the ad offers symbolic support for Muslim extremism and terrorism.
The complaints came from some bloggers and conservative commentator Michelle Malkin. They say the scarf is not a scarf, but rather a kaffiyeh — the traditional headwear in Arab countries and the trademark fashion of the late Palestinian leader, Yasser Arafat.
(Critics make quite a leap by suggesting that any support of Palestinians is an endorsement of terrorism.)
Apparently the bloggers threatened to call for a boycott of Dunkin’ Donuts, and the company caved. Just like that. A statement from Dunkin’ Donuts said the scarf had a paisley design and was selected by a stylist for the ad.
“Absolutely no symbolism was intended,” the company said. In fact, there is no symbolism except in the minds of the critics, who, through the power of the Internet, no doubt sound more numerous than they really are.
Yet Dunkin’ Donuts pulled the ad because “the possibility of misperception detracted from its original intention to promote our iced coffee.” Oh. But the company’s cowardly decision has now caused a greater distraction from its iced coffee than the original complaints did. Funny how that works.
We have no lack of celebrities who want to preach about all things political or anything other than acting. (Didn’t Sharon Stone just apologize for calling the earthquake in China karmic payback for the country’s treatment of Tibet?) Ray, known for giggling while she cooks, is not one of them. Malkin would argue that the pro-terrorism stylist put the scarf on an unwitting Ray to get the message out. Everyone loves a good conspiracy theory, but come on.
If someone wears a black, hooded sweatshirt (available at Dunkin’donuts.com for $29.95) aren’t they endorsing gang activity? When the company calls itself DD, isn’t it a symbolic endorsement of Dungeons and Dragons? See how easy it is to be dumb?
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