Urban’s 2006 Publicity Tour Heats Up

Last week the Inquirer began the annual Urban Outfitters Controversy™, where Urban Outfitters stocks some stupid item that offends some people and gets a lot of free publicity out of the whole deal.

This time, it was a Christmas ornament in the shape of a glittery plastic handgun. After the Inquirer called all the requisite people — anti-violence groups, the governor’s office, NAMBLA, etc. — the chain of events was set in motion. A call for a boycott and protests followed, as well as a few more articles in the paper.

And, yet, despite yesterday’s protest outside the company’s Center City store on Walnut Street, the ornament has sold out and the company is ordering more from China or Taiwan or whereever. (Well, replace “despite” in that previous sentence with “in part due to.”)

The Daily News wrote that “Urban Outfitters issued a statement saying the gun was one of a number of ‘dark humor items,’ including ‘devil monkeys’ and skulls, providing an ‘ironic twist’ to holiday tradition.” Well, no, that’s not true. The only thing being celebrated here is commercialism, and there’s nothing ironic about that in America.

Ornament is a sellout [Daily News]
Nov. 22: Newspapers Joining In On Half-Assed Thanksgiving Eve Fun