On a day when the death toll surged to more than 7,000 across the country and the CDC recommended all Americans wear a mask when going out in public, a popular golf brand that produces gear, bags and apparel launched a campaign aimed at raising money for COVID-19 relief efforts.
The #Driveitaway headcover uses a design we’ve all seen when reading about the serious public health consequences that novel coronavirus presents. According to the CDC, it’s an illustration of spikes adorning the outer surface of the virus as if it were viewed microscopically. It’s meant to reveal “ultrastructural morphology exhibited by coronaviruses.”
I’m not a scientist, but I think it’s safe to say the CDC didn’t expect a riff of the image would be used for commercial purposes, particularly for golf equipment – a headcover created by Stitch – that seems frivolous if not insensitive for the times we’re living in.
In Stitch’s defense, the advertisement sent to its customers Friday morning touted that “100% of the proceeds from our limited edition headcover will go to relief effort for COVID-19.” The company pledged that 50% will be donated to Samaritan’s Purse to fund emergency field hospitals and the other 50% will be directed to in-house production of masks for healthcare workers.
A spokesperson for Stitch said the company produced a limited quantity of 75 #Driveitaway headcovers and sold out in less than eight hours. The company also has produced more than 4,000 masks since production began Wednesday. As of Friday evening, the #Driveitaway headcovers were no longer on the web site, but other leather headcovers were priced from $78-$98.
Undoubtedly, these are noble causes that Stitch is supporting, but perhaps common sense should have prevailed and someone should have considered the optics of selling a black leather headcover adorned with a symbol that is associated with loss of life, unpredictable health consequences and disruption to everyday life for so many.
