Misprint in Wal-Mart newspaper ad shocks readers

An advertisement in a Houston-area newspaper has readers doing a double take. How did the major misprint make its way into the trusted publication? The advertisement, which appears to be from Wal-Mart, starts on the right note but takes a terrible turn. By the end of the message, every reader has the same reaction. This can't possibly be real!                   

“It's not Photoshopped?,” asks Terrence Cowherd Jr.  Nope, it isn’t. What you see is exactly how the advertisement was published in the Alvin Sun newspaper.

The merry message begins wishing everyone a memorable Christmas from the Alvin Wal-Mart store. It ends with the person who printed it likely wishing everyone would just forget what they have read.   

The print advertisement says "Merry Christmas from Wal-Mart. Save Money. Screw People Over." 

“What?," reacts Chris Davis. "That's a little ridiculous.”

”That's crazy," says Thomas Tavarez as he tries to hold back laughter. "That's ridiculous. Oh my gosh. I can't believe it.”

Wal-Mart’s actual slogan is "Save Money. Live Better."  Just how did this crude comment end up in the advertisement instead? The publisher of the Alvin Sun says the graphic artist searched for images of the Wal-Mart logo on Google and selected one without proofreading it.

It is a slip-up that has some people speculating this worker may not be working at the publication much longer but some say this very visible blunder should be allowed to just blow over.

“It's the holidays," says Davis with a smile. "Let's be merry.”

The Alvin Wal-Mart store manager says the newspaper is scheduled to run an apology next week.