Crocs has bowed to teasing it received after posting a tweet in tribute to late music legend David Bowie, deleting the post less than one hour after publishing it.
The post included a picture of a white Crocs shoe with a graphic of a red lightning bolt layered on top, echoing the lightning bolt painted over the face of Bowie’s alter-ego Ziggy Stardust.
"Your magic will be missed, but your inspiration lives on forever. #DavidBowie," Crocs wrote in the post.
Backlash started immediately after Crocs posted the tweet.
I'll never forget when Bowie sang "Put on your rubber perforated slip-on shoes and dance the blues." https://t.co/J7n8NlxGSA
— Pat (?°?°)?? ??? (@PatsHoppedUp) January 11, 2016
Nothing says Bowie like hard-wearing, practical shoes you can wash down with a hose https://t.co/VTykuP0hN6
— James Macbeth Dann (@edmuzik) January 11, 2016
Even after the tweet was deleted, social media users continued to poke fun at the brand on Monday afternoon.
Deleted now but still exists on the Guardian's Bowie blog. How not to link your brand to grief, by @crocs pic.twitter.com/k91XWG00f1
— Jamie McKinnell (@jamie86) January 11, 2016
"Comfortable and stylish, I simply can't get enough of those wonderful Crocs" — David Bowie to 'Rolling Stone' in 1987
— Josiah Hughes (@josiahhughes) January 11, 2016
if you think the crocs bowie tweet was bad you should see what the social media managers for chevrolet have planned for when prince dies
— 2017 shark (@kevinsharrk) January 11, 2016
A number of other brands also paid tribute to Bowie on Monday, after news spread that he died at age 69 after an 18-month battle with cancer.
Annie’s Homegrown
Forever in our hearts.?? #DavidBowie pic.twitter.com/CF8Jq4ZED4
— Annie's Homegrown (@annieshomegrown) January 11, 2016
Fender
RIP #DavidBowie. You will be missed. pic.twitter.com/XzUN3qcvjU
— Fender (@Fender) January 11, 2016
Amnesty International
#DavidBowie: "It is our responsibility to send out a message that human rights abuses must not be tolerated." pic.twitter.com/klMxgBOpgh
— AmnestyInternational (@AmnestyOnline) January 11, 2016
Bose
"Tomorrow belongs to those who can hear it coming." #DavidBowie pic.twitter.com/PZg2LRWjC8
— Bose (@Bose) January 11, 2016
