BOLINGBROOK, Ill. — International cosmetics company Ulta Beauty is apologizing after sending out a promotional email that struck some people as tone-deaf.
On May 1, the company invited email subscribers to "come hang with Kate Spade," talking about a perfume product discount.
Kate Spade, a fashion designer and the founder of the "kate spade" brand, died by suicide in 2018.
At the time, her family said she'd been dealing with depression and anxiety, and Spade's death led to a wave of conversations about mental health.
Many email subscribers who received the promotion tweeted about it, criticizing Ulta, regardless of the reason it was sent.
On Monday, Eileen Ziesemer, a spokeswoman for Ulta Beauty, apologized for the wording of the message.
She sent out this statement about the email:
Ulta Beauty recently sent an email featuring kate spade new york fragrance with an insensitive subject line and for this, we sincerely apologize. Mental health is a very serious, important issue in this country, and not something we would ever take lightly. We apologize to the Spade family, our kate spade new york brand partners and to our guests. Thank you for understanding as we strive to do better.
Subscribers received an apology email from Ulta. Some people tweeted about that email after finding it in their inboxes.
May is Mental Health Awareness Month. If you or someone you know needs resources to achieve better mental health, visit the National Alliance on Mental Illness website or call 800-950-NAMI (800-950-6264).
