At least they had the decency to “recognize that it has created offense” and apologize, rather than the usual corporate/celebrity blather about “we apologize to any who may have been offended”.
They “apologized” because there was outrage stronger than they intended.
You KNOW it was deliberately done.
I am sick and tired of “apologies” in the passive voice. ‘If anyone was offended’ or ‘caused offense’ instead of a more straightforward ‘we apologize because we offended people.’