Two of America's biggest commercial brands - discount retailer Target and fast-food chain McDonald's - have taken steps to tamp down hysteria stemming from a recent spate of creepy clown sightings in the run-up to Halloween at the end of this month.
Target (TGT.N) decided last week to winnow down its assortment of clown masks and costumes available for sale in U.S. stores and online "given the current environment," company spokesman Joshua Thomas said on Monday.
Although Target received some isolated consumer comments about scary clown accessories, the decision to pull some masks from inventories stemmed from "a conversation internally about how we can respond to the situation at hand," Thomas told Reuters.
The clown-mask culling, limited to one in-store product item and about 10 different selections online, affected a "very tiny" portion of Target's overall Halloween merchandise, Thomas added.
Target declined to specify exactly which products were pulled but said those kept in stock reflected a more traditional, less threatening image of happy, cheerful clowns.
Similarly, McDonald's (MCD.N) and its franchise owners have cut back in the number of public appearances being made by performers dressed up as the chain's trademark hamburger-happy clown Ronald McDonald during the past two weeks, according to the company.
The fast-food chain, in a statement, cited "the current climate around clown sightings in communities" for its decision.
Reports of menacing individuals dressed as clowns or wearing clown masks began surfacing in late August around Greenville, South Carolina, and have since spread to several other states, perplexing police and unnerving parents across the country.
Clowns have been reported spotted lurking near wooded areas or on dark roads, and even driving in cars, some brandishing knives or waving wads of money at children.
为什么身体走形之后想还原这么难?
体坛英语资讯:Henry blames personal problems for difficulties at Barcelona
体坛英语资讯:Becker urges Federer to stay in Olympic village
体坛英语资讯:Liu advances, shock exit for Robles
体坛英语资讯:United draws Roma again, Liverpool faces Arsenal
国际英语资讯:Martin Schulz: No Brexit negotiations without notification
体坛英语资讯:Olympic torch relay in Muscat concludes
体坛英语资讯:Tanzania dances for joy at torchs sub-Sahara debut
2017专四:高频短语(2)
熊猫宝宝齐亮相,萌化人心
体坛英语资讯:Roddick to skip Olympics with U.S. Open in mind
体坛英语资讯:Beijing Olympic Flame arrives in Bangkok
体坛英语资讯:Greece: Olympia ready to welcome Chinese delegation
假期综合症之如何脱“困”
2017专八:高频词汇(4)
体坛英语资讯:Liu feels for Yao but denies extra pressure
博科娃总干事2016年国际普遍获取信息日致辞
体坛英语资讯:Beijing Olympic flame reaches India
体坛英语资讯:One injured on second day of Argentine soccer violence
体坛英语资讯:No Yao? No problem for Rockets
国际英语资讯:More Chinese cities to move to tame housing price rise: report
2017专八:高频词汇(1)
2017专四:高频短语(1)
体坛英语资讯:Doctor: Yao Ming recovers well after foot surgery
体坛英语资讯:Beijing Olympic flame arrives in Pakistani capital
体坛英语资讯:Beijing National Stadium designers win award
体坛英语资讯:Hammers plan to upset another title hopeful
乳腺癌与上夜班有关吗
体坛英语资讯:My left foot ... Yaos agony
教你拯救拖延症