KFC's automated marketing system sent a promotional push notification to German app users on the anniversary of Kristallnacht (Night of Broken Glass), promoting chicken products on a day commemorating the Holocaust-era attacks on Jewish communities.
On Wednesday, November 9, 2022, KFC's German mobile app users received an automated push notification that read 'It's memorial day for Kristallnacht! Treat yourself with more tender cheese on your crispy chicken. Now at KFCheese!' Kristallnacht refers to the violent attacks on Jewish communities throughout Germany and Austria in 1938 that marked a turning point leading to the Holocaust. The message was generated by KFC's automated marketing system, which was designed to detect holidays and other significant days and create relevant promotional content. According to KFC, messages from this semi-automated system are supposed to be reviewed by humans before being sent, but this notification bypassed the internal review process. Approximately one hour after the initial message, KFC sent a second notification apologizing for the error. The company suspended all app communications while reviewing their processes. KFC faced widespread condemnation on social media, with users calling the promotion 'disgusting' and 'pure anti-Semitism.' Jewish organizations including the Board of Deputies of British Jews and the Anti-Defamation League also condemned the message.
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