Apparently @WellsFargo doesn't think that an actor or a ballerina require any work at all! Shame pic.twitter.com/BZyLZOQmUw — Cynthia Erivo (@CynthiaEriVo) September 3, 2016

It’s almost impressive that, in 2016, incredibly tone deaf ad campaigns are still launched with seemingly no idea of the backlash they will invoke. The latest company to fall victim to lacking even an iota of foresight is the banking organization Wells Fargo. The company recently embarked on an ad campaign for their Teen Financial Education Day, which ironically sounds like the name of a Guided by Voices song. In the process, they managed to royally piss off people from basically every walk of art.

The ads basically straight up say “Arts are stupid, science is dope.” Using the tagline “Let’s get them ready for tomorrow,” one ad features a girl with the message “A ballerina yesterday. An engineer today.” One with a boy reads “An actor yesterday. A botanist today.” In short, these ads are actively discouraged kids from following their artistic dreams.

YOU GUYS!! APPARENTLY "TOMORROW" WILL HAVE NO ARTISTS IN IT JUST A SHIT TON OF BOTANISTS AND ENGINEERS! pic.twitter.com/UNGwir8NC7 — Laura Benanti (@LauraBenanti) September 3, 2016

Laura, we ALL know that there is no point to the arts, or aspiring in them. Thank you @WellsFargo for the reminder! https://t.co/ICBLfYRvsT — Zachary Levi (@ZacharyLevi) September 4, 2016

Naturally, this raised the ire of some people who actually happen to make their living in the arts, and thus place some value on them. Folks such as Laura Benanti, Zachary Levi, Josh Groban, and a whole bunch of people from Broadway were among those who took to the internet to express their annoyance with this profoundly stupid campaign.

Brb gonna take out a Wells Fargo loan to go write Botany: The Musical! — josh groban (@joshgroban) September 3, 2016

Wells Fargo was at least quick to recognize the folly of their ways. They issued a statement apologizing for the ads, and indicated that changes were afoot. They were also quick to mention the $93 million they used to support “the arts, culture, and education” last year.

In the end, this is shaping up to be the worst Teen Financial Education Day ever.

We offer our sincere apology for the initial ads promoting our Sept. 17 Teen Financial Education Day. pic.twitter.com/1QgFupxN3j — Wells Fargo (@WellsFargo) September 3, 2016

(Via Playbill)