Kmart responds to 'Ship My Pants' ad parody deemed racist

NEW YORK — Kmart got mixed, albeit largely positive reviews, from a couple of ads placed on YouTube, but many people are saying a recent parody of the ads goes too far, and it has attracted a response from the retailer.

The two Kmart-produced ads — "Ship My Pants," to tout the mass-merchandise retailer's buy-now ship-later service, and "Big Gas Savings," about discounts on gasoline for members of the Shop Your Way loyalty program — quickly went viral on YouTube while also making some people question their taste.

But a new parody of the ad that also went viral, titled "Ship My Knickers," is drawing accusations of racism, and the retailer has distanced itself from the skit. The skit was produced by The Gunfordmay, a California-based sketch comedy troupe.

In response, Kmart posted in its Twitter feed Thursday, "This is not a Kmart ad, nor is this type of content endorsed by Kmart."