Delta Airlines Twitter Fail and the Circle of Trife: A Giraffe for Ghana
Tonight, USA and Ghana faced off in the World Cup and USA came away with the win, 2-1. Afterwards, Delta Airlines’ Twitter account posted a picture cheering on the home country and also managing to be offend people who had sense.
The Statue of Liberty for the U.S. and a giraffe for Ghana. A GAHTDAMB GIRAFFE FOR GHANA!!! *fights the air* That is lazy, ignorant, stupid and thoughtless all at once. The only giraffes in Ghana are probably in their zoos. Delta might as well have used a hyena and recreated the opening of the Lion King. Because you know all of Africa is plains and open fields and animals you see on safaris. Talk about the Circle of Trife. SO RUDE!
It’s so aggravating. How do you manage to fail at such epic proportions in 140 characters?
Pictures can say a 1,000 words and all 1,000 of them here are screaming that Delta’s social media manager knows nothing about the country they’re shading and they should probably use the powers of Google better next time. One search in Google images could have found them a better symbol to use for the Ghana Black Stars. Heyyyy maybe they could have used a black star if they were feeling particularly lazy!
This is supposed to be an airline that prides itself on its global reach and perspective. They even FLY to Accra! Meanwhile, their employees are still acting like Africa is Rhode Island and it looks the same no matter where you are.
This is super disappointing and they should be ashamed.
Delta has deleted the tweet and given a super weak apology for it. In the words of Magic Mike, “Don’t be sorry, ho. Be careful!” That erased tweet does nothing, though. This is the boolsheet us Africans gotta deal with on a regular basis from narrow-minded nincompoops who are really comfortable not understanding that the continent is far from a monolith.
And aren’t people tired of representing the Cradle of Civilization with animals and trees?? It’s like the trend of all books written by African authors have covers with trees on them. No, for real. Read a post called “The Dangers of a Single Book Cover: The Acacia Tree Meme and “African literature”‘.
It can’t be “African” unless it reminds you of the jungle. *rolls my eyes so hard my eyes get stuck in a side-eye*
Delta should take its ball and go home because Operation Do Better 2014 is in effect. DO. BETTER.
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50 Comments
Delta needs to pack its shit, then hop on a Southwest flight because none of us are here for them. #ByeFelicia
“Circle of Trife” !!!! If I wasn’t already laying down I would’ve fell out.
That one got me too. DEAD!
YES! LOL
I honestly am unable to can right now. This is worse than chumps asking me if I understood the Swahili at the beginning of The Lion King. I can’t. Ignorance lives. Even if I weren’t from Ghana, I’d be smh right now. Goodness for real.
As a fellow Ghanian, I’m unable to CAN! Ugh iCan’t! Just rude!
AIEEE!! The fuckery! My country will not stand for this foolishness!
I’m ready to buy an “Operation Do Better 2014” t-shirt as soon as you print ’em, Luvvie! For that matter, there should probably be a 2015 version on tap. Getting everyone to do better is gonna take more than 6 months . . . Sigh.
I support this t-shirt wholeheartedly …. Le sighhhhh
I was already heated from Ghana’s loss, but to see that ignant ass picture just about made me lose my gahtdamb mind! Talk about adding insult to injury! Kmt! They can take that ‘apology’ and stick it where the sun don’t shine. How about you put pics of both countries’ flags, eh Eejit Social Media Manager? That would have been soooo much easier! I just Googled ‘Ghana’ and a million and one pics of the flag came up.
*sigh*
I got nothing else to add.
Why is this a fail? Let’s assume for a minute that every company’s waking thought is not focused on how not to offend black people and consider the source and their ultimate goal. They are a travel company. 99.9 (ok 90) percent of their “travelers” are going to Africa one reason, to go on a damn safari, so why would you expect them to post something different? The goal was obviously to use images that resonated with what most people associate with the respective countries (i.e. the Statue of Liberty for the U.S.). All that said, I would normally agree with your point on view on subjects such as this, but I don’t see this as anything for them to have to apologize about. Them making a disabled passenger crawl across a tarmac, yeah, I’m rocking with you on a protest, For this? Not so much.
Giraffes are NOT found in Ghana and to use a stereotypical picture that has nothing to do with Ghana to represent Ghana just because “Africa is Africa” is not only ignorant but super offensive. Africa isn’t one big country and the people of Africa pride themselves in their national, cultural and ethnic differences. The moment people recognize that Africa is made up of many different countries and not group them together, the moment this world will begin to evolve.Take a breather, Moi, and educate yourself about the dangers of cultural misappropriations and stereotyping. Idc what Delta wanted to do, it’s NEVER okay to stereotype where people come from.
THIS! Moi aussi.
Thank you Fatima, but before Moi educates herself on the plethora of African cultures & ethnicities, she/he should start with simple geography and take a look at West Africa’s terrain. I’m from South Africa where you do actually find giraffes, and I would still be pissed to the highest power, they better use the Union Building or something.
My God, you’re ignorant. And you know the worst part about ignorance like yours? The confidence behind that ignorance. You have NO idea what you’re talking about. Yet somehow, you’ve convinced yourself that you do. So you spew forth your ignorance with all the confidence in the world, making you sound dumb as hell. First of all, you’re doing the dumb thing, acting like Africa is a country, talking about 90% of travelers to “Africa” for Safari. First of all, your auntie’s book club does not constitute 90% of travelers to “Africa” child. And neither does the cast of the Real Housewives of Atlanta. Expand your horizon just a little further. Then you talk about the goal was “obviously” to use images that resonated with what most people associate with a country. Obviously? You’re sure? Who has ever associated a giraffe with Ghana? Who goes on Safari to Ghana? It’s ok to be quiet about things you clearly don’t know about sometimes. I promise you.
Preach it please! I think I was more angered by this comment than the post. You don’t know shit about the country but you want to chip in an opinion? The fuckery of it. Sheer ignorance. Maybe all the US states are the same/similar and speak the same fucking language but 1. Africa is not a country 2. The countries in Africa are very different (which is characterised by their different cultures, languages and trademarks) and this is why people go to the East for safaris!!!
Just to be clear, 0% of the people that I know who went to Africa went for a safari.
I was about to say….100% of the people I know who have gone to Africa have gone to visit family soooooooo…..try again.
the doors of the church are now open. this was my sentiment exactly.
cosigning with Kimmie. most folks I know traveling to Ghana specifically are doing business or visiting family. I would never associate a giraffe or safari with Ghana, but the most southern countries in Africa. you’re WAAAYY off Moi.
90% of the travelers are going on safari?! Are you f**king kidding me?! Just shut up because that ignorance you’ve just spewed has me convinced you aren’t capable of very intelligent thoughts.
100% of the people that I’ve known to visit anywhere in Africa (which has been a huge amount trust me) it has been to visit family, set up their retirement homes, retire there, open up a business, conduct business with the numerous amounts of Fortune 500 companies that have branches there, go to school, do after college training, work at hospitals/clinics, do missionary work, and just plain old go on vacation (which never included going on a damn safari).
My parents taught me when you do not know what you’re talking up just shut your mouth. #ijot
This comment needs a like button!!! ♥♥
If you’re one of the 90% going on a safari and you choose Ghana, you’re going to walk away madder than hell. (And I do mean WALK.)
(And just to clarify, there’s waaaaay more to do in Africa than go on safaris. Honestly, shut the fuck up already.)
Unable to can with Moi’s comment. Giving the hardest side eye that I can conjure right now. :/
did you read the full post at all?
I’m sorry MOI this is so wrong. There are no safari’s happening in Ghana and for you to say that what most people go to Africa for is a safari is super narrow minded.
Actually the majority of people I know who have visited the African continent have gone to watch, play or report on cricket.
So there.
But I wouldn’t leap from that to a sweeping, ridiculous generalisation about what people go to Africa to do since I know 1)that is specific to my experience (and that of the 2 billion or so people in cricket-playing countries) and 2)those people were going to watch cricket in South Africa. Which is not the same as Ghana.
Circle of TRIFE?? Your Aunties book club??? I LLLIIVVVEEE!!!
I wonder how they failed to include an acacia tree in there to complete the picture.
Poor, poor Ghanians. I really feel for you. As a Scandinavian, I really know how this feel. Like a gut-wrenching knife permanently stuck. Americans have the gall to believe there are ice bears in Norway! Chinese advertising placing the little mermaid in Stockholm! And now lastly, Egyptair not managing to get a single town right on their route map, some even in the wrong countries!!! Ignorant, ignorant bastards.
I really wish the world had more Ghanians, so sensitive about cultural stereotyping that my heart would’ve been saved.
FORGET NORWAY!
(Kenyaaaaaa…KEN-YUUUUUUUHHHHH…)
Speaking of fails though, the company is not Delta Airlines, it’s Delta Air Lines. Perhaps just as well that Delta did not associate “accuracy” with Ghana.
Tuck in your petty sir; it’s not the equivalent thing. Though yes it is important to have the right name.
This reeks of summer intern season, as in “hey, let’s get the intern to live tweet the soccer game and we can get home and watch it in comfort with our white wine spritzer!” Working with supersmart Ivy youngins each day I can spot the eagerness behind this picture – the matching sunsets, the artsy instagramness of it all. The editorial fabulousness of balanced color and snappy storytelling.
Which is EXACTLY WHY LUVVIE NEEDS TO EDUCATE! The world is a bigger place than 140 characters with matching sunsets.
I totally see what Elizabeth is saying about the eagerness. I see it at my place of employ often as well.
aaaah, makes sense!
90% of the travelers are going on safari?! Are you f**king kidding me?! Just shut up because that ignorance you’ve just spewed has me convinced you aren’t capable of very intelligent thoughts.
100% of the people that I’ve known to visit anywhere in Africa (which has been a huge amount trust me) it has been to visit family, set up their retirement homes, retire there, open up a business, conduct business with the numerous amounts of Fortune 500 companies that have branches there, go to school, do after college training, work at hospitals/clinics, do missionary work, and just plain old go on vacation (which never included going on a damn safari).
My parents taught me when you do not know what you’re talking up just shut your mouth. #ijot
Ok first I must say I am thorughly disappointed that the US beat Ghana, i wanted it be a hat-trick for them since they beat the US previously 2-1,but such is life. Luvvie I have been waiting for someone to use this scene from Mulan forever, love that cartoon.
I work as a travel agent in Canada and yes we do get a lot of clients who go to countries in Africa for safari but Ghana is most certainly not one of them, people need to go and take a geography class or at least google the place they are speaking about with such confidence but managing to fail successfully all at the same time.
People educate do hate.
Ok guys we all need to calm down. As much as I know opinion is one thing we are allowed to have without a measure, I equally respect objectivity.. I don’t think what Moi is saying is completely different from us. Delta is suppose to be more meticulous about the details representing any place they operate, that is what strengthens trust and confidence in your customer, a failure to handle this to me could be attributed to simple professional laxity than a prejudice or a deliberate intentions to slight Ghanaians or Africans as a whole. Because Africans like you and i, have grown too intelligent and even chauvinist so that the last thing anyone wants to do this days is look down on Africa. However we should be careful not to promote jingoism by becoming unnecessarily belligerent as this this becomes a complex us Africans.
Perhaps a sunset over the castles and forts that housed slaves before they were shipped to the New World would have been more identifying to Ghana. No giraffes, but plenty of slave holding areas. Perhaps Delta should have chosen one of those overlooking the seas as the ship sails away. Now that is iconic!!
I am from Kenya and was about to ask when did we play the US? O_O I mean, a giraffe in Kenya? Oh yes! Ghana? And for sure, where is the acacia tree to complete the picture?!
HEY! I AM FROM RHODE ISLAND! And it actually is super culturally, ethnically and economically diverse. Don’t be throwing us under the bus for Delta’s foolishness. I ain’t lived there in a while but I still rep. We got beaches towns, farmland, city life and burbs. Don’t hate. Revisit-tate. You get me. I gotta rep for my people. Actually, being a literal African-American, RI is one of the few places with a vast sensitivity being that they have a whole lotta fresh immigrants from the entire continent. From all the continents. Wasn’t until I got to Jersey that folks started asking if I had ever ridden an elephant.
As my aunt would say, “Ugly Americans”.
For the people willing to defend Delta claiming “well giraffes are found on the continent of Africa,” would you have been ok if the image for America had been something Canadian? Or Mexican? I mean both countries are in North America, right?
Also, Delta gets another major fail because their apology tweet was wrong! They typed “precious tweet” instead of “previous tweet.” It took them 7 minutes to see the mistake, delete that tweet, and re-apologize.
Delta just lost all my future business.
HOLD UP “Meanwhile, their employees are still acting like Africa is Rhode Island” I give you the queen’s side eye
http://i.perezhilton.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/royal-side-eye.gif
(SIGH) your shade on my home state crushed me. I am not a native RI’er (having been born in a 3d world country and all) but damb it I lived here for 37 years and its pretty nifty. As Sarah D stated “We got beaches towns, farmland, city life and burbs. Don’t hate. Revisit-tate”
our inner cities are actually quite diverse and shit. We also have a HUGE population of Cape Verdeans (look it up) I aint making it up some of my play cousins are CV’s. I’m looking forward to their festival this weekend.
No I resume to read the rest of your post, since your disparaging my state stopped me in my tracks.
well hunny you think Africans are sensitive about most Americans not recognizing that it is a continent with the over 50 individual countries that are as unique as snowflakes.
Well try being the smallest state in the United of States. As is evident in this post we get NO respect. With just over 1 million residents we are but a speck in the minds and knowledge of people.
So here’s a little RI education to pass along.
Rhode Island was the first of the original Thirteen Colonies to declare independence from British rule. Take That!!!!!
It also has the longest official name of all the states, officially the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, (us colored folk aint happy bout that)
It was also the last colony of the thirteen colonies to ratify the United States Constitution on May 29, 1790, once assurances were made that a Bill of Rights would become part of the Constitution. You’re welcome.
we are constantly thought to be part of Long Island. And on a regular basis have to correct people that yes RI is a state and is located south of Massachusetts and northeast of Connecticut.
Hispanics in the state make up 12.8% of the population, predominantly Dominican, Puerto Rican, and Guatemalan populations (mi gente). Rhode Island has a higher percentage of Americans of Portuguese ancestry, including Portuguese Americans and Cape Verdean Americans than any other state in the nation.
We host the World Headquarters of CVS and Gtech (maker of Powerball Machines).
and lastly we are where home to Family Guy. Family Guy takes place in the fictional city of Quahog, Rhode Island
and now Im over it….
Here endeth the lesson
ok so to your point, I have actually traveled throughout Africa and have been to Ghana. Visited Tema, Accra, Elmina and various other towns and villages which now escape me. The one thing I think about when someone mentions Ghana is the black star and the Kwame Nkrumah Memorial. Either would’ve been a fitting depiction in a picture representing Ghana. They could’ve put some thought and research into it and provided a view atop the trees from Kakum National Park,or an ocean view in Elmina.
Their giraffe pic was just LAZY!!!! no excuse
“–posted a picture cheering on the home country and also managing to be offend people who had sense.”
Managing to be offend people.
Who had sense.
Irony.