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JCPenney Under Fire for Advertising a Kettle That Looks Like Hitler — See for Yourself

May 28, 2013  •  Post A Comment

JCPenney is being criticized after a billboard appeared in Culver City, Calif., advertising a kettle that some observers say looks a lot like Adolf Hitler, CBS Local reports.

“The ad seen off the 405 Freeway near Centinela Boulevard is for the Bells and Whistles Stainless Steel Tea Kettle, part of a line of exclusive Michael Graves-designed kitchenware for the department store,” the story reports. “But some users of online content aggregator Reddit have speculated whether JCPenney — which saw a 16 percent year-over-year drop in sales earlier this month — intentionally made the stainless steel tea kettle resemble one of the most notorious men in history to stir up public interest.”

One user commented: “I stare at this from my office building every day and now I can tell my co-workers that I’m not the only one who saw the Hitler in the bells and whistles sign!”

JCPenney had not commented on the controversy, the piece notes.

hitler-kettle.jpgAdolf Hitler and the kettle billboard

9 Comments

  1. You think that this is bad… JC Penny also sells a waffle maker that oddly resembles Scott Peterson and a pepper grinder that looks like Kato Kaelin.

  2. Dear God! Can’t some people find something real to be offended by?

  3. That’s so silly and ridiculous – I’ll be laughing every time I think of it. Thanks to Culver City, CA, for making me smile!

  4. You Vill Have A Pot Of Tea And You Vill ENJOY IT!

  5. If you buy one of these, be sure to purchase it in a store and not mail order. For some reason, every one sent out for delivery heads straight to Poland.

  6. Michael Graves designed it, not JCP. Maybe if they shot it the other way the “part” would have been on the other side – or they could have shot it at an angle. However, I doubt if the photographer nor designer saw the relatively small similarity.

  7. Take my Deutschmarks!!

  8. The Pol Pot kettle is coming to a store
    near you.

  9. Unfortunately, once it’s pointed out, it’s impossible NOT to see Hitler’s silhouette when you look at that shot of the kettle. If I were JCP, I’d revise the box immediately.

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