A Texas-based mattress company is receiving backlash after holding a “Twin Tower Sale” just days before the fifteenth anniversary of the World Trade Center terrorist attack in 2001.
WOAI in San Antonio reportsthat the ad featured two stacks of mattresses piled up, then collapsing to the ground while the owner states “We will never forget.”
"We are not hate, we are love, we are somebody that stands out, we are miracle mattress, we make miracles happen. And for our lives to be in danger that is not what we ever wanted,” said Miracle Mattress owner Cherise Bonanno told WOAI.
Bonanno later stated that she didn’t realize the short ad would cause so much controversy.
"It was stupid, it was a stupid idea that we sent out and we apologize for our stupidity and we really hope that you forgive us for what we have done,” said Bonnano.
Later, after several people complained on social media, the company posted an apology note.
Statement from Miracle Mattress
An Apology to All the Victims and Families of 9/11 from Miracle Mattress:
I am Mike Bonanno, Owner of Miracle Mattress. Today, I was made aware of a social media video produced by our San Antonio team highlighting a promotional sale using the upcoming 9/11 Anniversary as the incentive. The video was posted on Facebook without my knowledge or approval from our corporate office in Houston.
I say this unequivocally, with sincere regret: the video is tasteless and an affront to the men and women who lost their lives on 9/11. Furthermore, it disrespects the families who lost their loved ones and continue to struggle with the pain of this tragedy every day of their lives.
All I can say is I am deeply sorry and on behalf of the entire Miracle Mattress family, I accept responsibility for this thoughtless and crude advertisement and will immediately hold my employees accountable for this serious lapse of decency.
I am disgusted such a video would have been conceived as a promotional tool and even more incensed it was created and posted on any social media site that represents Miracle Mattress.
Effective immediately, Miracle Mattress will review our entire marketing strategy to ensure a stringent approval process will be in place to stop this from every happening again. We will also engage a personnel review to hold these employees accountable for their actions.
Miracle Mattress strives to be a community partner and I could list our community outreach events and countless donations to the communities we serve. However, this one act negates years of work and a laundry list of what we have done will not suffice.
We apologize and we promise to do better. Over the next several days, we will determine an appropriate response to express our regret and support for the 9/11 victims and their families. But for now, only a sincere apology and acceptance of our fault is warranted.
Respectfully,
Mike Bonanno
Owner, Miracle Mattress
