The United States’ embassy in Canberra issued an apology after the US state department distributed a fake meeting invitation with a photo of a cat wearing a blue Sesame Street Cookie Monster onesie.
The embassy has since apologised for what it calls a ‘training error.’
The email, entitled ‘meeting’, featured a photo of a cat wearing a blue Cookie Monster outfit and holding a plate of choc-chip cookies.
The email was sent by the US State Department last week, and US Mission to Australia public affairs counsellor Gavin Sundwall apologised to the recipients, while retaining a sense of humour.
“Sorry to disappoint those of you who were hoping to attend this ‘cat pajama-jam’ party, but such an event falls well outside our area of expertise,” he said.
“It was a training error made by one of our new staff testing out our email newsletter platform,” he said.
The photograph is found on Pinterest and it’s generated laughs on social media.
RSVP YES https://t.co/dCdBQiL8bv
— Zombie Trek Sue London ☕??? (@cmdrsue) October 15, 2018
100% would attend a cat pajama-jam https://t.co/x4QBRchdXR
— Janet Rice (@janet_rice) October 15, 2018
Sounds like excellent public diplomacy to me. I would open all embassy emails if I knew there could be cat photos. https://t.co/qGg8cQeARA
— Mintaro Oba (@MintaroOba) October 15, 2018
Whatever the real event is is going to be a HUGE disappointment. https://t.co/GP8DpXFVOT
— Teresa Genaro (@BklynBckstretch) October 15, 2018
I’m a dog person, but I have no problem that my tax dollars are supporting this. https://t.co/a1aVAWyLrR
— Kent German (@KentGerman) October 15, 2018
To be fair, it is a tremendous way to get people interested in reading an email about a meeting. https://t.co/ETepwWfN5a
— Richard James (@richjamesuk) October 15, 2018
The world needs more meeting invites like this: https://t.co/yDYY8c1wsq
— Michael Bitzer (@BowTiePolitics) October 15, 2018
