HOBOKEN, NJ: Crock-Pot has launched a Twitter account, @CrockPotCares, to ease the fears of upset consumers after a slow cooker accident killed off a major character on this week’s episode of This Is Us.
The company launched the account on Wednesday, one day after NBC aired an episode depicting a Crock-Pot malfunctioning, lighting a house on fire, and killing off the character Jack Pearson.
The episode freaked out Crock-Pot owners, with many taking to social media to claim they’re throwing away their products or questioning if they would use them again.
My mom just threw our crockpot out #ThisIsUs #SOSIMILAR pic.twitter.com/RmeXQrfog5
— Chelsea Stevens (@ChelseaMS731) January 24, 2018
A Crock-Pot spokesperson told PRWeek that the brand is consoling fans on Facebook and Twitter.
We’re trying to ease the ?? but we know it’s hard. Seriously though, @CrockPotCares stands by the safety of our products. We saw that you recently started getting in the kitchen and we would love to send you one of our AMAZING slow cookers and our fave recipes ♥?.
— The Crock-Pot® Brand (@CrockPotCares) January 24, 2018
Crock-Pot added that its slow cookers are low-current, low wattage products with typically no more than 200 or 300 watts and have self-regulating, heating elements.
"It is important that our consumers understand and have confidence that all Crock-Pot slow cookers exceed all internal testing protocols and all applicable industry safety standards and regulations as verified by independent third-party testing labs," a Crock-Pot spokesperson said in an emailed statement. "For nearly 50 years, with over 100 million Crock-Pots sold, we have never received any consumer complaints similar to the fictional events portrayed in [Tuesday’s] episode. In fact, the safety and design of our product renders this type of event nearly impossible."
The brand also called on NBC to do more.
"Our hope is that the team at NBC’s This Is Us will help us spread factual information regarding our product’s safety," Crock-Pot said. "While we know their primary mission is to entertain—something they have continued to excel in—we also feel they have a responsibility to inform."
On Thursday afternoon, Crock-Pot posted a statement about the matter on its Facebook page, dissuading consumers from throwing their Crock-Pots away.
