Hawaii advertising blunder lands Celebrity marketing department in hot lava

Celebrity Cruises' marketing department heads back to school for cultural sensitivity training after putting together a Hawaii cruising trade ad they really should have known would be poorly received in the islands.

King Kamehameha, who established the Kingdom of Hawaii in 1810, is a revered figure in Hawaiian culture and history. Imagine, then, the native Hawaiian community's dismay when it saw Celebrity's ad showing an iconic 1883 statue of the former ruler lifting a champagne toast to Celebrity.

Miami-based Celebrity Cruises, little sister of Royal Caribbean, has apologized for the misstep and has pulled the offensive ads, according to Celebrity spokesperson Lynn Marstenstein. The line will also publish advertisements in two of Hawaii's major newspapers apologizing to the Hawaiian people and enroll its top marketing staff in a cultural values and awareness training class to be conducted by the Native Hawaiian Hospitality Association.

The Celebrity ad is just the latest in a series of misuse of Hawaiian cultural and intellectual symbols, according to the 'Ilio'ulaokalani Coalition, a group of Hawaiian cultural practitioners. Improper use is not limited to travel ads, according to the group, which cited similar mistakes in movies and by local businesses.