A Los Angeles billboard for JCPenny has people talking about a tea kettle that present a strong resemblance to Adolf Hitler.
CBS Los Angeles reported that the now infamous ad is located in Culver City the 405 Freeway near Centinela Boulevard in Culver City.
The billboard was for the $40 Bells and Whistles Stainless Steel Tea Kettle, part of a line of exclusive Michael Graves-designed kitchenware for JCPenny.
NBC Los Angeles described the teapot design as a "rounded handle [that] swoops down to the right, much like the despot's hairstyle. A little knob atop the lid looks a little bit like his signature mustache. A thin, vertical reflection in the metal of the pot falls right about where a necktie would hang. The teapot's spout juts out like a Nazi salute."
It wasn't long before social media websites caught wind of ad. Speculators on Reddit.com argued whether the designer intentionally made the tea kettle resemble the former German Nazi Chancellor Adolf Hitler.
"Well, look at us - we're all looking at and sharing a picture of an advertisement," Reddit user LevTolstoy posted. "If it was done on purpose to get people's attention, but keep the ability to deny doing it on purpose, it's brilliant."
Controversy is the last thing the chain retailer wants. The company saw a 16 percent drop in overall sales this year.
"I stare at this from my office building every day and now I can tell my co-workers that I'm not the only one who saw the Hitler in the bells and whistles sign!" Reddit user Tishacombs said.
JCPenny used Twitter to respond to confused social media users, assuring them that the resemblance was not intentional.
"Certainly not intentional," the company tweeted. "We would have gone with something cute. Think 'puppy dog', not dictator."
The tea kettle was pulled from their website. The ad was taken down on Tuesday.
