Google image gaffe claims Greggs has sold 'shit to scum for over 70 years'
UK bakery Greggs suffered a PR nightmare this morning (19 August) after its primary Google search image, which is linked to the Wikipedia company description, was replaced with an expletive-ridden parody logo.
Greggs caught the unfortunate image early on Tuesday
The message in the image, which Greggs has appealed to Google to change, claimed the bakery has been “providing shit to scum for over 70 years”.
The embarrassed bakery's social media team took the image swap on the chin, humorously informing customers that it was trying to navigate the bureaucratic intricacies of Google to have the image replaced.
It is unclear whether the image swap was a deliberate action against Greggs or a one-in-a-million fluke but the error remains live as this story is published.
@NewBrandVision alas it ain't our G+ page! Working with the kind folks at Google to get it fixed!
— Greggs (@GreggstheBakers) August 19, 2014
This comes after a similar gaffe happened to PC World in April, which since its logo altered with the motto “Like hell but with worse customer service”.
Greggs commented that if a company specialising in the sale of PCs can suffer from the mistake - then anyone can.
@Tmckinnin @jwrighty91 @reporterboy well if it ca n happen to those guys nobody is safe!! ;-) — Greggs (@GreggstheBakers) August 19, 2014Fans of the UK high street retailer wished the team luck with the image removal process.
@KatieBrowntweet thanks Katie *cries into keyboard*
— Greggs (@GreggstheBakers) August 19, 2014
The bakery then offered the search engine giant free doughnuts in exchange for fixing the problem.
Hey @GoogleUK, fix it and they're yours!!! #FixGreggs pic.twitter.com/d5Ub7qtrLG
— Greggs (@GreggstheBakers) August 19, 2014Sorry @GreggstheBakers, we're on it. Throw in a sausage roll and we'll get it done ASAP. #fixgreggs pic.twitter.com/THXuMubrQq
— Google UK (@GoogleUK) August 19, 2014Earlier this year the English town of Skellow saw its image replaced with a grotesque picture of a naked man.