No one should be surprised that there’s merchandise based on the inexplicably popular Fifty Shades of Grey book trilogy. We’ve already featured officially licensed wine and unofficial yet disturbing baby clothing. Yet one shopper in Oklahoma was a little surprised to find a rack of officially licensed “Fifty Shades” merchandise next to dental care products for children.
The original tweet was aimed at Target, but also sent over to Jezebel, which wrote a post about the display.
A few days later, Target finally answered.
The items on the display appear to be the officially licensed blindfold set, “vibrating ring,” and either the massage oil or the personal lubricant.
This merchandising makes sense in that the “Fifty Shades” merch is probably stocked near the condoms, which fits into the broad “health and personal care” category along with toothbrushes. There has to be a less hilarious shelf to put this rack on other than next to the Captain America toothbrushes, though. Doesn’t there?
It could have been a sly prank or an accident, but probably the worst consequence was that a few parents had to explain that a “love ring” is something for grown-ups, and hey! Look at the new Angry Birds toothbrush over there!
by Laura Northrup via Consumerist