Morrisons has been forced to apologise after it projected a giant baguette onto the Angel of the North as part of an advertising campaign.
The supermarket were trying to advertise new price cuts, but the albeit temporary defacement of one of the North East’s favourite landmarks caused an outcry over “cultural vandalism”.
The artist behind the Angel, Antony Gormley, has also criticized the move, because he always believed the artwork should stand large and unlit, commenting yesterday:
“I’d rather the Angel is not used for such purposes”
On Twitter, the advertising has been widely condemned and mocked:
Welcome to Britain, where we've slapped a Morrisons advert across the Angel of the North. We really are a shit hole. pic.twitter.com/K7GZ1SVRLP
— Will (@WillMcHoebag) May 4, 2014
Morrisons presumably working on the principle all publicity is good publicity. Even when ruining artworks with dreadfully ugly ads.
— Jonathan Haynes (@JonathanHaynes) May 4, 2014
please take the morrisons ad down from the angel of the north PLEASE IT'S SO TACKY AND EMBARRASSING PLEA SE
— Hello Holly (@starrfleet) May 5, 2014
I personally hope there's a sex shop with a big enough budget to advertise on the Angel of the North
— Andre Griffin (@Andre_p_Griffin) May 5, 2014
THE WORST THING ABOUT THAT MORRISONS ANGEL OF THE NORTH AD? IT WAS A FRENCH STICK. WHAT’S WRONG WITH BRITISH BREAD?
— Daily MailSimplified (@SimpleDailyMail) May 6, 2014
Morrisons took to social media to apologise for the embarrassment caused, and issued the following statement:
“We’re sorry if you thought we got carried away by shining a baguette on the Angel of the North and apologise unreservedly to those to whom we have caused offence.
We were trying something different which was meant to put a smile on people’s faces but clearly it wasn’t to everybody’s tastes. We’re so proud of our northern roots and the last thing we want to do is offend anybody.”
