KLM Trolling

LFutia · Sun Jun 29, 2014 9:48 pm

I don't know if anyone saw this but KLM took an opportunity to troll mexico. I laughed very hard. --

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2...d-cup-comeback-win-for-netherlands

Leo/ORD

MEA-707 · Sun Jun 29, 2014 10:26 pm

I think it's a heat of the moment thing and a storm in a glass of water, Mexicans who are upset about this should get a life.
That being said, I think an international airline like KLM with paying customers in México, Spain and most other country should better keep out of any country bashing/mocking PR outings.

United1 · Sun Jun 29, 2014 10:28 pm

...and who ever said the Dutch have no sense of humor.

Well done...

bchandl · Sun Jun 29, 2014 10:31 pm

Quoting MEA-707 (Reply 1):

I think it's a heat of the moment thing and a storm in a glass of water, Mexicans who are upset about this should get a life.

True.

It would have been funnier had they displayed a departure board to show Mexico City and had it say "now Boarding" or something.

MaverickM11 · Sun Jun 29, 2014 10:40 pm

Quoting MEA-707 (Reply 1):

I think it's a heat of the moment thing and a storm in a glass of water, Mexicans who are upset about this should get a life.

Idunno...competitive sports and religion are very much the same thing. Even a well intended joke is going to draw all the fanatics out of the wood work.

jetblastdubai · Sun Jun 29, 2014 10:57 pm

Quoting LFutia (Thread starter):

I don't know if anyone saw this but KLM took an opportunity to troll mexico. I laughed very hard. --

KLM's tweet was pretty tame by most standards but the (over)reaction is priceless.

DocLightning · Sun Jun 29, 2014 11:30 pm

Quoting MEA-707 (Reply 1):
I think it's a heat of the moment thing and a storm in a glass of water, Mexicans who are upset about this should get a life.
That being said, I think an international airline like KLM with paying customers in México, Spain and most other country should better keep out of any country bashing/mocking PR outings.

Bingo. The best thing would be to post a cute tweet supporting the NL team, not bashing the MX team.

It's silly, but people get very worked up about spectator sports. It's best not to antagonize.

That said, if you're going to watch spectator sports, learn to handle a bit of ribbing by the opposing fans when your team loses.

prosa · Mon Jun 30, 2014 12:32 am

I don't see KLM's minor bit of humor as any reason whatsoever to take offense. People shouldn't be so thin-skinned.

Not long ago, in fact it might still happen, when a British team from a heavily Jewish part of London played away matches in Liverpool, the Liverpool fans would make a hissing sound ... meant to be the sound of the Zyklon B entering the gas chambers.

uberflieger · Mon Jun 30, 2014 2:08 am

Quoting bchandl (Reply 3):
It would have been funnier had they displayed a departure board to show Mexico City

Dude, they need to hire you

Quoting jetblastdubai (Reply 5):
the (over)reaction is priceless

C'mon, Gael Garcia Bernal, REALLY? 'Adios Amigos'

Not funny at all, because plain ignorant was Delta's Ghana tweet
http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/f...after-usa-beats-ghana-9544018.html

zeke · Mon Jun 30, 2014 2:21 am

Quoting LFutia (Thread starter):

It's just a little bit of harmless banter, I loved it. Good game, both sides played well.

bchandl · Mon Jun 30, 2014 3:01 am

Quoting Zeke (Reply 9):

I just hate when refs decide games, not the players.

MayaviaERJ190 · Mon Jun 30, 2014 3:05 am

AeroMexico bites back at what was a #fail for KLM in Mexico: http://twitter.com/AeroMexico_com/status/483333017901858816

[Edited 2014-06-29 20:06:35]

bogota · Mon Jun 30, 2014 3:08 am

One thing is a private individual, a different thing is a company that has an operation in Mexico. They will pay through lost revenue in Mexico. Mexicans are a very proud nation and will not allow KL to get off the hook that easily. Good for Gael.

LAXdude1023 · Mon Jun 30, 2014 3:19 am

Quoting bogota (Reply 12):
One thing is a private individual, a different thing is a company that has an operation in Mexico. They will pay through lost revenue in Mexico. Mexicans are a very proud nation and will not allow KL to get off the hook that easily. Good for Gael.

I don't think so at all. The people who were going to fly KL in Mexico still will. Most of the ones KL cares are business men/women who fly J. This won't deter them at all.

bogota · Mon Jun 30, 2014 3:39 am

Quoting LAXdude1023 (Reply 13):
Most of the ones KL cares are business men/women who fly J. This won't deter them at all.

That is your opinion, probably also thingking most customers are European. Just wait and see, KL will probably appologize publicly for this. Just two weeks ago a stupid Dutch actress decided to tweet something about Colombia, also during the world cup, that highly ofended us. To make it short the actress was asked by the following afternoon to quit her position as UNESCO Ambassador in the Netherlands.

Europeans and US Americans tend to talk a lot about political correctness, that is as long it is between Europeans and US Americans. Certainly a permanent double standard.

bchandl · Mon Jun 30, 2014 4:12 am

Quoting bogota (Reply 12):
They will pay through lost revenue in Mexico.

Please.

10% of Mexicans saw the tweet, and 10% of Mexicans will forget about this tweet by next week.

They won't lose anything. A tweet does not change the dynamics of how an individual choses their travel plans.

AR385 · Mon Jun 30, 2014 4:36 am

Quoting bogota (Reply 12):
They will pay through lost revenue in Mexico.

You and I agree on many things, but I don´t think that will happen. I do find it strange that a company´s social media department would post such a thing. The post was deleted in minutes and I am sure someone got a talk to.

Quoting bogota (Reply 12):
Mexicans are a very proud nation and will not allow KL to get off the hook that easily. Good for Gael.

We are. But we keep things in perspective. It´s, after all, a game. We have bigger fish to fry.

Quoting bogota (Reply 14):
Just two weeks ago a stupid Dutch actress decided to tweet something about Colombia, also during the world cup, that highly ofended us.

Yes, but I think that was way worse. A very tasteless, stupid joke, making fun of a horrible period in Colombia´s history, and she was a private citizen. If a company had posted that image this idiot woman did, they would be in bad trouble.

Quoting bchandl (Reply 15):
Please.

10% of Mexicans saw the tweet, and 10% of Mexicans will forget about this tweet by next week.

They won't lose anything. A tweet does not change the dynamics of how an individual choses their travel plans.

No. A lot more than 10% saw it. It made the rounds. But, nobody gave it any importance. It was a joke and it is a game. We have more important things to worry about. And you are right, nobody will change their travel plans over this.

[Edited 2014-06-29 21:39:21]

AR385 · Mon Jun 30, 2014 6:29 am

Oh well. So KLM apologizes. I think it´s unnecessary but there you go. People are making too much of this. As far as Gael is concerned, I´m very disappointed he would post something like what he posted. Ridiculous.

anstar · Mon Jun 30, 2014 6:43 am

How crazy they have to apologise! They are a dutch airline afterall and it is all meant i jest.

I have seen companies like Heineken doing similar ads int he dutch market.

PanHAM · Mon Jun 30, 2014 7:06 am

OK, the tweet was stupid, because you do not involve your Company without the permission and consent.,What do companies have PR departments for?

but there should not be an over reaction as well. It could well be possible that Germany and the Netherlands meet at the Cup final, if we complain about every tweet or message and vv we would be bad neighbours.

As to the Delta Giraffe, sorry, but what is racist about that? If DL had used some other animals I could understand, but a Giraffe? That's not racist, that's a backfire telling something about the general knowledge of Americans, rather the lack of.

steman · Mon Jun 30, 2014 7:11 am

I understand the spirit of the jokes (or of other similar jokes as well),
but I find it very stupid, especially because you don´t know if you´re team is next to be kicked out of the game.
Just like in Italy, when a very very very very stupid politician (hardly anyone more stupid than that one) from the right party (no wonder) twitted something extremely disrespectful against England.
And the following match his team lost.
Talk about Karma

BoeingVista · Mon Jun 30, 2014 7:15 am

Quoting MEA-707 (Reply 1):
I think it's a heat of the moment thing and a storm in a glass of water, Mexicans who are upset about this should get a life.

Yah, well a lot of people suffer humour failure after getting bundled out of the world cup due to a dubious penalty. Football is mre than a game to a lot of the worls population, KLM should have know better.

Quoting LFutia (Thread starter):
I don't know if anyone saw this but KLM took an opportunity to troll mexico. I laughed very hard. --

Yup, I laughed too 'cause it was funny, it was a fans reaction not a corporate reaction. Someone is going to get a finger wagged at them today but the person wagging the finger will be smiling

Edit:

Oops, I didn't notice the mexican hat hiding in the departure arrow, that probably pushes this tweet in the unwise collumn.

[Edited 2014-06-30 00:34:40]

SKAirbus · Mon Jun 30, 2014 7:39 am

Quoting United1 (Reply 2):
...and who ever said the Dutch have no sense of humor.

Well normally they are just beating people up on the football pitch and generally being a very nasty team... so some humour would make a nice change!

bennett123 · Mon Jun 30, 2014 7:43 am

Perhaps if Mexico thinks this is nasty they should check out some of the fr ads.

It is just a game folks.

Aesma · Mon Jun 30, 2014 8:34 am

I don't think you can say that writing "goodbye my friend" in the other's language is insulting or anything like that, it's very light hearted !

MD11Engineer · Mon Jun 30, 2014 9:06 am

We had this hanging in our crew room in 2006 (and a lot of our pilots back then were Dutch):

All it let to was a lot of banter.

So the Mexicans are out, sh#t happens (and I have been supporting Mexico during the game).

Jan

PanHAM · Mon Jun 30, 2014 9:35 am

Quoting MD11Engineer (Reply 25):
So the Mexicans are out, sh#t happens (and I have been supporting Mexico during the game).

Me too, which is pure German selfishness, now we could meet Oranje in the final and that is going to be fun......

Thinking about the proper answer the Mexcicans could have givem instead of beeing miffed is

"Hasta La Vista Baby, en Rusia!

LipeGIG · Mon Jun 30, 2014 12:41 pm

Quoting bchandl (Reply 15):
Please.

10% of Mexicans saw the tweet, and 10% of Mexicans will forget about this tweet by next week.

They won't lose anything. A tweet does not change the dynamics of how an individual choses their travel plans.

You would be surprised that like this thread, many news increased the awareness of this.
The true fact is ... the apologies just confirm they know it would hurt their business. Less or More, no one know.

The age of quick information can transform a comment in a mistake and then into something very big.

Acheron · Mon Jun 30, 2014 4:53 pm

Quoting bogota (Reply 14):
That is your opinion, probably also thingking most customers are European. Just wait and see, KL will probably appologize publicly for this. Just two weeks ago a stupid Dutch actress decided to tweet something about Colombia, also during the world cup, that highly ofended us. To make it short the actress was asked by the following afternoon to quit her position as UNESCO Ambassador in the Netherlands.

There is quite a difference between posting an image that paints Colombia's players as drug addicts sniffing coke lines and what KLM did.

KLM's post was factual. Mexico is out of the World Cup, simple as that.

One is actually offensive and xenophobic, the other one is just harmless and those offended by it need to grow up. I saw some similar childishnes in twitter when mexican users started to insult other countries after the end of the match.

vikkyvik · Mon Jun 30, 2014 5:22 pm

Quoting uberflieger (Reply 8):
Not funny at all, because plain ignorant was Delta's Ghana tweet

Ignorant, but not racist at all, as claimed by some. I suppose possibly racist against giraffes....but I doubt any giraffes were offended.

Quoting bogota (Reply 12):
One thing is a private individual, a different thing is a company that has an operation in Mexico. They will pay through lost revenue in Mexico. Mexicans are a very proud nation and will not allow KL to get off the hook that easily. Good for Gael.

Geez, talk about:

Quoting AR385 (Reply 17):
People are making too much of this.

bogota · Mon Jun 30, 2014 6:10 pm

Quoting vikkyvik (Reply 29):
Geez, talk about:

Maybe that is why KL decided to appologize. Maybe the world needs to understand some people do no like stupid jokes on their behalf.

Acheron · Mon Jun 30, 2014 6:19 pm

Quoting bogota (Reply 30):
Maybe that is why KL decided to appologize. Maybe the world needs to understand some people do no like stupid jokes on their behalf.

The only stupid joke is their collective reaction...

Sports' chauvinism in itself makes people stupid...

vikkyvik · Mon Jun 30, 2014 6:44 pm

Quoting bogota (Reply 30):
Maybe that is why KL decided to appologize.

KL decided to apologize because they feel it will be in their best business interest.

Quoting bogota (Reply 30):
Maybe the world needs to understand some people do no like stupid jokes on their behalf.

Then ignore the stupid jokes. I happen to love stupid jokes, even if they're at my expense.

Silver1SWA · Mon Jun 30, 2014 6:53 pm

I saw the tweet and I retweeted the tweet because it was funny. Lighten up and have a sense of humor!

aloges · Mon Jun 30, 2014 6:59 pm

The only stupid things were the hat and the tash in the picture. If not for those, the Mexican reaction would be nothing but childish - but KLM went with a tired, old and annoying cultural stereotype, which is why the apology was necessary.

aviationmaster · Mon Jun 30, 2014 7:03 pm

Hillarious overreaction due to a harmless joke. Having lived 7 years in Mexico, all I can say is that these butthurt fans need to grow up. You didn't see other countries complain about Mexican fans shouting niceties such as "eeeeh p*to!" everytime the goalkeepers of the opposing teams touched the ball.

bogota · Mon Jun 30, 2014 7:19 pm

Quoting Acheron (Reply 31):
Sports' chauvinism in itself makes people stupid...

If you say it, I will believe you.

Quoting vikkyvik (Reply 32):
KL decided to apologize because they feel it will be in their best business interest.

That is exactly what I said in the beggining and nobody believed it would happen, which it shows KL realized Mexicans did care.

Quoting vikkyvik (Reply 32):
Then ignore the stupid jokes. I happen to love stupid jokes, even if they're at my expense.

Good for you, now please do realize not everybody thinks like you and that does not mean you can insult, bully, etc. those who do get insulted.

wingman · Mon Jun 30, 2014 7:55 pm

Stupid tweet in my opinion, and I think most people at KLM would agree with me, hence the deletion and subsequent apology. A Dutch guy razzing his Mexican friend? That's one thing. But to send out a tweet right after a World Cup loss and do so from a company account that relies on local business for revenue? That's about as dumb as it gets.

People take the World Cup much more seriously than I think most Americans can quite comprehend, and a loss as bitter and shocking as the one Mexico went through would have your guts torn up for a few days. Imagine the US beating Mexico like back in 2002 and McDonald's or Coke putting out a tweet like that. I'm pretty sure the offending jackass would be canned on the spot or at least given a severe reprimand and have his or her access to the company twitter account revoked. Personally, I'd be down at the local deli hurling friendly insults to the local Mexican crew, and they'd take it with good nature because we know each other..but again, KLM doing this at that particular moment, I know how Gael felt when he replied the way he did.

Anyway, apology given and I'm sure "Mexico" will get over it.

bogota · Mon Jun 30, 2014 8:04 pm

Quoting wingman (Reply 37):
Stupid tweet in my opinion, and I think most people at KLM would agree with me, hence the deletion and subsequent apology. A Dutch guy razzing his Mexican friend? That's one thing. But to send out a tweet right after a World Cup loss and do so from a company account that relies on local business for revenue? That's about as dumb as it gets.

People take the World Cup much more seriously than I think most Americans can quite comprehend, and a loss as bitter and shocking as the one Mexico went through would have your guts torn up for a few days. Imagine the US beating Mexico like back in 2002 and McDonald's or Coke putting out a tweet like that. I'm pretty sure the offending jackass would be canned on the spot or at least given a severe reprimand and have his or her access to the company twitter account revoked. Personally, I'd be down at the local deli hurling friendly insults to the local Mexican crew, and they'd take it with good nature because we know each other..but again, KLM doing this at that particular moment, I know how Gael felt when he replied the way he did.

Anyway, apology given and I'm sure "Mexico" will get over it.

The most intelligent reply I have read in this thread.

LJ · Mon Jun 30, 2014 8:20 pm

Quoting wingman (Reply 37):
KLM doing this at that particular moment, I know how Gael felt when he replied the way he did.

And Gael now apologises for his reaction on Twitter...

Acheron · Mon Jun 30, 2014 9:20 pm

Quoting wingman (Reply 37):
Personally, I'd be down at the local deli hurling friendly insults to the local Mexican crew, and they'd take it with good nature because we know each other..but again, KLM doing this at that particular moment, I know how Gael felt when he replied the way he did.

I'm sure the xenophobic insults hurled by mexicans towards other latin american countries were friendly too...

Or yelling the mexican equivalent of "fagg**s" in a stadium is also pretty friendly...

bogota · Mon Jun 30, 2014 9:52 pm

Quoting Acheron (Reply 40):
I'm sure the xenophobic insults hurled by mexicans towards other latin american countries were friendly too...

I thought we were discusing the attitude of a company from a country mocking the defeat of another country where the company has operations. Now you are trying to compare the attitude of the public in a stadium.

Not that name calling is well seen, but far from the reaction of a company in this kind of events.

mmmm, apples and oranges.

Acheron · Mon Jun 30, 2014 10:03 pm

Quoting bogota (Reply 41):
I thought we were discusing the attitude of a company from a country mocking the defeat of another country where the company has operations. Now you are trying to compare the attitude of the public in a stadium.

Because those hurling the insults were the ones who got most offended over KLM's rather harmless tweet...

wolbo · Mon Jun 30, 2014 10:32 pm

Quoting aloges (Reply 34):
The only stupid things were the hat and the tash in the picture. If not for those, the Mexican reaction would be nothing but childish - but KLM went with a tired, old and annoying cultural stereotype, which is why the apology was necessary.

And yet this is what Mexico chose as the official mascot for their 1986 World Cup.

bogota · Mon Jun 30, 2014 10:38 pm

Quoting Acheron (Reply 42):
Because those hurling the insults were the ones who got most offended over KLM's rather harmless tweet...

Is that a fact ?

aloges · Mon Jun 30, 2014 10:38 pm

Quoting wolbo (Reply 43):
And yet this is what Mexico chose as the official mascot for their 1986 World Cup.

28 years ago, the world was a different place.

AR385 · Mon Jun 30, 2014 10:51 pm

Quoting Acheron (Reply 40):
Or yelling the mexican equivalent of "fagg**s" in a stadium is also pretty friendly...

You need to get your facts straight because that was not what was being yelled. And in any case you will also have to start criticizing the other countries who adopted that word, such as the Croatians, the Colombians, the Brazilians and a few others.

This was just a joke, stupid in the sense that a global company simply cannot make such jokes in social media because the backlash (and there will be backlash) will hurt their stakeholders, who have nothing to do with said company´s social media staff´s sense of humor. It´s Management Communication 101. But not stupid in any other sense. Gael´s reaction was exaggerated and rude. I much prefer the one undertaken by AeroMéxico.

So don´t go comparing apples and oranges, such as what people yell in a stadium, private individuals as they are, with what a global company puts up on social media.

AR385 · Tue Jul 01, 2014 10:01 pm

"If you don´t want get burned, don´t go into the kitchen"

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