Seahawks Compare Playoffs to Civil Rights Struggle in 'We Shall Overcome' Tweet

How are you celebrating Martin Luther King Jr. Day?

If you answered, "By likening the late-season grind of playoff football to the ongoing struggle for human equality," you might be a (former?) social media manager based in the state of Washington.

In what appears to be a regrettable attempt to tie in Seattle's Super Bowl berth with the celebration of the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., the Seattle Seahawks tweeted out a Photoshopped picture of Russell Wilson overlaid with a quote from the late reverend.

The tweet itself included the words "We shall overcome" and the hashtag "#MLKDay."

@Seahawks

The Seahawks quickly deleted the tweet, presumably because playing the New England Patriots and fighting to overcome systemic racism exist on two very different planes of adversity.

Unsurprisingly, Seattle was roundly criticized for the gaffe.

"

Seahawks posted (then deleted) this MLK Day tweet. Equating the civil rights struggle with a football game? Good god. pic.twitter.com/sTOTthMTZy

— Bart Hubbuch (@BartHubbuch) January 19, 2015"

Chalk up another national holiday loss for #Branding—the idea that anything currently trending is an opportunity to raise company awareness in the community.

Sometimes these things work (or at least don't backfire spectacularly), but too often, corporate entities find themselves apologizing after ham-fistedly attempting to shoehorn their product into an event or trade.

The Seahawks have since apologized for the tweet, saying the message was sent in poor judgment on their part.

It's all right, Seattle. As they say in the #Branding biz, the only bad press is no press! Or something!

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