Spinnin’ Records: When a Social Media Joke Goes Terribly Wrong

On Thursday, Sept. 12, Netherlands-based Spinnin’ Records put their collective feet in their mouths when they posted an image of a Pioneer CD-J that had been altered to resemble a gas burner. The caption cringingly read: “Pioneer finally developed a CD-J for women.” The label’s post on Facebook and Twitter instantly drew the ire of anyone with a modicum of commonsense. After all, how could a record label post something so insensitive to women?

. @SpinninRecords @PioneerDJ wow what a sexist tweet! I’m pretty sure I use my cdj-2000s way more than my stove! @LaidbackLuke ‘s the chef!

— Gina Turner (@DJGINATURNER) September 13, 2013

After the post went viral, Spinnin’ Records issued an apology on Twitter and Facebook.

We noticed that some people got offended by the picture & caption we tweeted yesterday. 1/4 — Spinnin’ Records (@SpinninRecords) September 14, 2013

As a record label that works with both male & female DJs & artists, it was of course never our intention to offend anyone. 2/4 — Spinnin’ Records (@SpinninRecords) September 14, 2013

And definitely not women in specific. 3/4 — Spinnin’ Records (@SpinninRecords) September 14, 2013

Therefore, we would like to apologize to those we have unintentionally offended with the tweet. 4/4 — Spinnin’ Records (@SpinninRecords) September 14, 2013

While the echos of public outrage continue to linger, the label have gone back to business, championing their brand of dance music on social media and not paying the firestorm any mind despite the incident being picked up by mainstream sites such as The Huffington Post, The Daily Mail and Buzzfeed.

The label has yet to delete the offending post, something which social media crisis managers typically suggest as the proper course of action in a situation like this.

For now it’s safe to say the Dutch label will focus on music, leaving comedy in the hands of professionals. However that didn’t stop them from posting this gem:

RT if you partied hard last night. pic.twitter.com/O3pyR3qgZH

— Spinnin’ Records (@SpinninRecords) September 15, 2013