Staples For Christmas?

As I have mentioned, everybody is getting socks for Christmas. Staples, the office supply store, has been running this teevee spot that seems to promote the idea that a gift of office supplies is superior to hand (lovingly) knitted items

Imagine me now as Miss Doris Day and saying �Hmmmph!� to something insulting Rock Hudson has done. C�mon, me as Doris Day, it�s not that much of a stretch

In the ad a middle-aged lady in a horrible green sweater is showing the items she has knitted for her family. The gurl has been using some nasty Wal-Mart yarn that is not a natural fiber...gasp! There�s a goofy green hat, a sweater with 2 neck openings, all in the same nasty green yarn. OK, these are some funky looking knit goods, but Dear Staples, buying a loved one an electric tape dispenser is easy, knitting is not. Electric tape dispensers and USB cables don�t come from the heart like a 2 neck opening sweater does. Does a ream of printer paper say �I love you� like a macram� mouse pad? I don�t think so. �Merry Christmas Honey, it�s a color cartridge for the Epson C60�

Please! I�d boycott Staples except that they don�t have any stores in Kansas City and Office Depot is only about a mile away. I go there sometimes to buy plastic sleeves for my sock patterns.

If anyone is loves you enough this Christmas to handknit something for you, please be gracious enough to not wish you had gotten a 3 hole punch.

Here�s a copy of the e-mail Staples is sending out in response to angry knitters nationwide:

Thank you for your recent email regarding our commercial "The Knitter".

Let me assure you the goal of this commercial was never to offend. We simply are trying to convey a message of an easy, hassel-free shopping experience at Staples while using the light humor that our ads are known for. We understand that some people may have interpreted the ad to be making fun of knitters and knitting, rather than the fact that our character was a poor knitter and the results of her efforts were amusing gifts that were not well received among her family.

If the commercial has offended you, please accept our sincere apologies. We did not aim to imply that knitted gifts are bad nor did we intend to disrespect the many men and women who are knitters, give knitted items as gifts or are in any way associated with knitting.

At Staples, we believe our customers come first. We receive many comments, >both good and bad, on our commercials. At Staples we take all customer suggestions very seriously.

The Senior Vice President of Advertising receives regular updates on how our commercials are being received by the public and your comments are very helpful to us.

Thank you again for taking the time to express your opinion.

Sincerely,

Tasha,

Customer Service Representative

Hmmmph, I hope they find thumbtacks in their storebought made-in-China stockings!

3 People have told Dr JJ all about it