An advertisement from Webtoon, one of the largest online comic publishers, recently went viral for all the wrong reasons. The advertisement, which appeared in New York City’s subway stations, featured artwork from Lore Olympus with the text “Comics are literature’s fun side-hustle.” The advertisement soon gained notice by artists and creators who took to social media after the ad was posted on Twitter by Andy Bass creator Kennedy Homan, very unhappy that their work was being reduced to a “side-hustle”. Now, Webtoon has issued an apology for the controversial advertisement.
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On Tuesday, the company posted an official statement to their Twitter apologizing to creators and promising to update the advertisements “as soon as possible”.
“To every creator in our community today: we apologize. We want the world to know that comics are for everyone. That everyone who loves great stories in any format will also love your comics. But our ad copy missed the mark,” the statement read. “We live and breathe comics every day. They aren’t a side hustle, a second choice, or an afterthought. They are what we live for. Creators are the foundation of WEBTOON. We are as passionate about your stories as you are, and fully appreciate the time and effort put into your comics. We will get these updated as soon as possible and review all feedback.”
While the “side hustle” advertisement was the source of perhaps the most ire, it isn’t the only advertisement that has left some creators and readers a little sour. Others online shared images of ads that read “We think 2D crushes are still crushes” and “Your favorite streaming platforms love us”, noting that it gives the impression that the underlying message of the campaign is that comics are somehow lesser than other media or platforms.
Webtoon is a webcomics platform with more than 72 million monthly active user the platform includes content form around the world, including several works of Korean manhwa and the popular series, Lore Olympus. Webtoon launched in the United States in 2014.
What do you think of Webtoon’s apology? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
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Image Credit: Marvel Comics
