UPDATE: Paramount Australia says in a statement to E! News: "We are deeply sorry to have used that artwork for the marketing materials promoting the September 11 opening in Australia. Combining that image and date was a mistake. We intended no offense and have taken immediate action to discontinue its use."
And this is why marketing teams should take a closer look at their material before sending it out into the world.
Paramount Pictures Australia tweeted a photo to promote the release of Michael Bay's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, an (unnecessary) reboot of the childhood classic. The poster (pictured above) they tweeted out featured the turtles falling from a burning skyscraper, and that image, combined with the Sept. 11 release date in Australia, really rubbed people the wrong way.
What a thoughtful poster for 9/11. RT @ParamountAU Check out the official poster for #TMNT in cinemas September 11! pic.twitter.com/7LPYXHWlVB
? Martin Wefail (@wefail) July 29, 2014
WHO thought that poster would be a good idea considering date?? Or did they just think no one would notice or indeed care? #TMNT
? natalieholt1982 (@natalieholt1982) July 29, 2014
That Michael Bay is pure class. pic.twitter.com/5dsHienRZL (TMNT opens on 9/11)
? allisonkilkenny (@allisonkilkenny) July 29, 2014
Just another reason I won't waste my money on this movie. http://t.co/8ksgefs98P
? RiffWizard (@GeraldPrado) July 29, 2014
It is very difficult to imagine how this got past each level over at Paramount without someone at least noticing the unfortunate combination. Even if the poster was designed before TMNT got a release date in Australia, no one put two and two together?! Guess not. And now the studio is facing the angry masses.
The poster has since been removed from Twitter and Paramount's Facebook page, but the Sept. 11 release date in Australia seems to be sticking.
TMNT, starring Megan Fox and teenage turtles that are both ninjas and mutants, will premiere in the U.S. on Aug. 8.
What do you guys think of the poster? Was the backlash warranted or did people overreact? Discuss.
(Originally published on Tuesday, July 29 at 12:27 PM PDT)