Walmart removed its Juneteenth-themed products from store shelves following backlash on social media that it was “inappropriately commercializing” the holiday.

Walmart removed its Juneteenth-themed products from store shelves following backlash on social media that it was “inappropriately commercializing” the holiday. Ahead of the June 19 holiday, which marks the end of slavery, Walmart’s Great Value brand launched its “Celebration Edition: Juneteenth Ice Cream” collection, which included red velvet-flavored ice cream and themed party supplies. However, users on social media were quick to denounce the brand for “inappropriately commercializing” the holiday. Some even called for customers to instead support Black-owned Creamlicious Ice Cream from Target, which has a similar red velvet-flavored ice cream. Shortly after the backlash, Walmart apologized and removed the products from store shelves. YPulse told you about the type of holidays that companies need to be mindful of when it comes to marketing. We also told you how young people aren’t afraid to call out brands for culturally appropriating holidays like Black History Month or Pride Month—and Juneteenth isn’t an exception. For brands, there’s a big lesson: simply selling merch is not the right way to support a significant holiday or date. Think about the real ways that the community being targeted can be supported, and please, have a diverse team making the decisions around these holidays. (WSJ, MarketWatch)