Marketing.Media.Money

Cinnabon deletes and apologizes for its Carrie Fisher tribute after Twitter backlash

Following the death on Tuesday of actress and author Carrie Fisher, tributes flooded in from around the world on social media to mourn the passing of the "Star Wars" icon. However, for one company, its tribute was not to everyone's taste.

U.S. baked goods company Cinnabon issued an apology on Twitter after the backlash it received from tweeting out a tribute to Carrie Fisher, featuring an image of Princess Leia made out of cinnamon and a cinnamon roll.


Credit: Twitter

In the original tweet, which used a Cinnabon roll to represent Leia's renowned hairstyle, the image was accompanied with a message: "RIP Carrie Fisher, you'll always have the best buns in the galaxy."

However, the news was not taken well on social media, with some Twitter users calling the tweet "tacky" and in "poor taste."


Not everyone on Twitter took offence from the tweet, however, with some saying it was "cute" or that the actress, Carrie Fisher would have probably liked it.

Despite the mixed responses, the company removed the original tweet and issued an apology, saying the initial tribute was "genuinely meant as a tribute" and that they were "truly sorry" for causing any upset.

The cinnamon-inspired image has featured on Twitter before, however, with the company posting it on May 4, 2016, to celebrate "Star Wars Day".

Cinnabon hasn't been the only company in 2016 whose tribute about the passing of a beloved celebrity has sparked criticism.

When David Bowie died in January, shoe manufacturer Crocs drew fire after it published an image of a white pair of Crocs with Bowie's Aladdin Sane flash logo.

Meanwhile in April, Cheerios faced backlash after posting an image saying "Rest in Peace" with a single Cheerio on the 'I' on a purple background, shortly after musician Prince passed away.

Follow CNBC International on Twitter and Facebook.