The ‘unacceptable’ email seemingly referenced the tragedy to market its holiday and activity deals.
Discount holiday platform Wowcher has had to apologise after it sent out a marketing email that looks to have made reference to a recent crocodile attack on a toddler in a Cambridgeshire zoo that left the boy in critical condition.
The email was sent to customers over the weekend, and featured the subject line: “Snap up these deals quicker than a croc can catch a kid!” – alongside a list of holidays and activity discounts.
Screenshots of this email were then shared online, where social media outrage ensued. Wowcher then released a statement saying that it was “extremely sorry” for the email, adding that the wording was “unacceptable”.
“It should never have been written, it was never approved for use. The responsibility sits with us and we are urgently reviewing how our processes failed,” Wowcher’s statement said.
“We recognise the hurt and distress it has caused, particularly for the young child’s family at this unimaginably difficult time… There is no excuse for this. We apologise unreservedly and will take the necessary steps to make sure this doesn’t happen again.”
Wowcher has said that it is reviewing all scheduled marketing content while it urgently strengthens creative, approval and sign-off safeguards.
The toddler was pulled from the crocodile enclosure at Johnson’s Zoo by staff, but sustained serious injuries.
At the time of writing, the three year-old boy remains in hospital in a “critical but stable” condition, and a 30 year-old man has been arrested and bailed on suspicion of attempted murder.
This is perhaps one of the most controversial email marketing campaigns in recent memory – appearing to deliberately reference and make light of a tragic incident involving a child just days after it happened.
