The Straits Times (ST) on Wednesday (21 July) has apologized for the “distress” caused by the “unfortunate juxtaposition” of the Axe Brand Universal Oil ad which was placed below an article concerning the alleged murder of a Secondary One student at River Valley High School.
The nation was recently shocked by the case of a 16-year-old student from River Valley High School who has been charged with murdering a fellow student, in which an axe was seized by the police as evidence.
ST published the article, titled “Sec 1 student allegedly killed by Sec 4 student in school”, on the front page of its print and digital edition on Tuesday, with the Axe Brand ad at the bottom of the page.
The ad reads: “A handy medicine for quick relief of cold and headache. To get you prepared for your next step.”
The ad placement has received online backlash from netizens, with many of them calling it inappropriate.
Following that, Axe Brand took to its Facebook page on Tuesday to clarify that the ad placement was “not intentional” but “a very unfortunate coincidence”.
“The advertisement was arranged and booked in December 2020 with Straits Times. Our company is in deep sympathy and grief with the victim’s family,” it stated.
ST also apologized in a statement on Wednesday, saying that the advertisement has been booked in advance of news developments.
“This juxtaposition was inadvertent and unfortunate, in the light of the tragic incident.
“The Straits Times apologises for the distress caused,” it remarked.
However, netizens commenting on Wake Up Singapore’s Facebook post continued to criticize the news outlet for the “insensitive” ad placement.
Some even called ST’s apology insincere.
