An Amazon promotion offering cheap gas as part of a movie promotion caused traffic gridlock in California on Thursday.

Santa Monica Police Department received calls about the traffic almost immediately when the promotion began at 9 am and officers were on the scene directing traffic shortly afterwards.

Amazon teamed up with several businesses in Santa Monica on Thursday, August 15 for 'Maisel Day' to celebrate its program 'The Marvellous Ms. Maisel' being nominated for eight Emmys.

The promotion involved businesses offering 1959 prices to match the show’s setting. Some local companies offered pastrami sandwiches for 99-cents, haircuts and beauty treatments between $2 and 3, movie tickets for 51-cents - and even a night at the Hollywood Roosevelt hotel for $40.

In Santa Monica, Chevron offered gas at 30-cents per gallon.

An Amazon promotion offering cheap gas as part of a movie promotion caused traffic gridlock in California on Thursday

The sale at the Chevron station on the corner of Cloverfield and Michigan in Santa Monica started around 6.30am and soon afterwards became 'complete chaos,' Santa Monica Police Lt. Candice Cobarrubias told the Los Angeles Times.

There were so many drivers queuing up to cash in on the deal that Santa Monica Police stepped and suspended the promotion at around 1.30pm because traffic was getting so delayed, according to the news outlet.

'When we got out there and realized how big of a traffic issue it was, the sergeant on scene let the promoter know that we had to keep the flow of traffic on Cloverfield.

Santa Monica Police warned of heavy traffic after Amazon offered the cheap gas promotion

The promotion involved businesses offering 1959 prices to match the setting of Marvellous Ms. Maisel

'When it got to the point that no one on Cloverfield was moving, we had to flush traffic.'

A Twitter account for the TV series recognized the traffic commotion in a good-humored tweet soon after its promotion was shut down at around 1.30 pm.

'When we brought LA prices from 1959, we didn’t know they would come with Manhattan traffic. Oy,' the tweet read.

The promotion resumed later and ended at around 3 pm and giant signs read: 'Event Closed' could be seen at the entrance, replacing the bright pink 'Maisel Day' posters.

Santa Monica Police suspend an Amazon Prime promotion offering gas for 30 cents a gallon. Traffic issues are the big concern. Details coming up at 11am on ABC7. #maiselday pic.twitter.com/sJHQLcDUaK — John Gregory (@abc7johngregory) August 15, 2019

Gas station attendants lined up to assist motorists fill up their tanks with cheap fuel Thursday

The Emmy-nominated show stars Rachel Brosnahan as a housewife-turned-stand-up comic

Confused deal-seekers still continued to drive up and right-lane traffic was at a standstill. People were later told by Amazon’s security that the station was closed, according to the Los Angeles Times.

California Highway Patrol said a two - car accident was reported near the station during the day, but there were no injuries.

Officer Vance Perreira told The Times that 'everyone is going to want to get a full tank of gas' at such a good offer and he was not surprised that he wasn't surprised by the high demand.

The Emmy-nominated show stars Rachel Brosnahan as a housewife-turned-stand-up comic.

It wasn't the first time that Amazon has offered 1950s-era pricing to promote the show. The company joined forces with Carnegie Deli in New York to offer cut-price in New York ahead of the season two premiere last winter.