Wowcher apologises after being called out for disturbing advert mocking boy, 3, 'thrown into' crocodile enclosure
Wowcher has issued an apology for the 'unacceptable' wording of an email which made light of the horror incident involving a three-year-old boy that unfolded at a UK zoo earlier this week.
The firm's bid to entice customers to browse the discount deals they have on offer drastically backfired over the weekend - prompting people to vow to boycott the business.
A spokesperson for Wowcher has now told LADbible that the words 'should never have been written' and that it 'was never approved for use', while acknowledging the buck ultimately stops with them.
Wowcher has been accused of using 'a critically injured child as a punchline' after sending out an email that included a tone-deaf joke which made reference to the toddler who ended up in a crocodile enclosure.
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Subscribers who received the bizarre promotional email on Saturday (20 June) took to social media to share their outrage after it landed in their inbox.
Screenshots shared online shows the correspondence from Wowcher, which encouraged people to check out their 'special deals' on getaways and activities that are up for grabs.
But what stunned customers was the subject line of the email, which read: "Snap up these deals quicker than a croc can catch a kid."
The majority of people on the receiving end of this email were left horrified by Wowcher's apparent attempt to reduce the little boy's traumatic experience at Johnson's Zoo in Old Hurst, Cambridgeshire, to a joke.
In a lengthy LinkedIn post, one shocked subscriber hit out at the firm for what she categorised as a failed bid at 'edgy marketing'.
"It is a company using a critically injured three-year-old child as a punchline," the furious post read. "Someone wrote that. It was then approved, added to the campaign, scheduled and sent.
"At several points, somebody had the opportunity to say, 'Perhaps we shouldn’t turn a seriously injured toddler and traumatised family into a joke to flog discounted hotel stays'. Nobody did.
"Reactive marketing is not an excuse to abandon basic humanity. There is no clever topical reference here. No witty twist. Just a tiny child lying critically injured in hospital and a company using what happened to him to improve its email open rate. Imagine being that little boy’s parent and seeing this arrive in your inbox."
The woman urged the online deals marketplace to issue a 'proper apology' and to also take a 'serious look at how your marketing sign-off process allowed a child’s trauma to become sales copy.'.
Similar discussions surrounding the distasteful advert unfolded on Facebook, with people describing it as 'insensitive' and 'dark'.
Others announced that they had unsubscribed from Wowcher as a result of the poorly timed pun, which they claimed had massively crossed the line.
One person said: "Oh my god, that's awful," while a second wrote: "Wow thats bad. There is definitely no joking with what's happened."
There was some speculation that the screenshots of the shocking email may have been doctored, to which another user said: "It is genuine, I received it too. Now unsubscribed."
Wowcher's response
A spokesperson from Wowcher told LADbible: "We are extremely sorry for an email subject line sent by Wowcher yesterday.
"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.
"We recognise the hurt and distress it has caused, particularly for the young child’s family at this unimaginably difficult time.
"We are reviewing all scheduled marketing content while we urgently strengthen our creative, approval and sign-off safeguards.
"There is no excuse for this. We apologise unreservedly and will take the necessary steps to make sure this does not happen again."
Further details have now emerged about the three-year-old's condition in wake of the incident where he was allegedly thrown 15ft from a viewing platform and into a crocodile enclosure on Thursday (18 June).
Cambridgeshire Police said the little boy remains in a critical but stable condition at Addenbrooke’s Hospital. It is understood that he was attacked by at least one crocodile after he was allegedly thrown into the enclosure.
According to reports, he suffered a 'broken pelvis and a broken arm'.
Cops arrested a 30-year-old man from Norfolk on suspicion of attempted murder, who has since been released on bail until September 18.
The man, who was not known to the little boy, was 'assessed as not being fit for interview'. He reportedly has learning difficulties and had been on a trip to Johnson's Zoo with a carer when the incident took place.
Tracey Johnson, the wife of the zoo owner, is said to have courageously jumped into the reptile enclosure to rescue the boy. Onlookers told how they chillingly 'heard a loud scream' while they were admiring the animals last week.
A reptile expert has also shared his thoughts on what may have happened when the youngster landed in the enclosure.
Olivia Burke