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Adidas sends marketing e-mail congratulating customers for surviving Boston Marathon

The sports apparel company Adidas apologized Tuesday after sending out a poorly worded marketing e-mail to its customers, just one day after the 121st Boston Marathon.

In the subject line of the e-mail from Adidas Running, it said, “Congrats, you survived the Boston Marathon!”

The message immediately led to backlash as customers reminded the company about the 2013 Boston Marathon bombings, when three people were killed and more than 260 others were injured.

At least two bombing survivors, Patrick Downes and Marc Fucarile, participated in this year’s race.

“We are incredibly sorry,” the company said in an e-mailed statement. “Clearly, there was no thought given to the insensitive e-mail subject line we sent Tuesday.”

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The company “deeply” apologized for what it said was a mistake.

“The Boston Marathon is one of the most inspirational sporting events in the world,” the statement said. “Every year we’re reminded of the hope and resiliency of the running community at this event.”

Many people online were outraged, and screenshots of the e-mail’s subject line were shared widely on social media.

“Adidas is going to have to fire whoever was in charge of writing this e-mail,” one person wrote on Twitter.

Others expressed a similar sentiment.

“Adidas, you may want to rethink the subject line,” wrote Mike Denison.

Within the body of the e-mail, Adidas told customers they were “Boston Strong” and urged them to “grab new gear” now that they’ve finished the race.


Steve Annear can be reached at steve.annear@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @steveannear.