Bruins Trading Card - What happened?

Dozens of Globe readers have called or written this office asking what happened to the Boston Bruins trading card coupon that was supposed to run in last Sunday's Globe (3/26/06).

The coupon had been heavily promoted in the newspaper announcing that readers could find it in the 3/26/06 Sunday Globe, cut it out and redeem it at a local retailer, like Stop & Shop or Store24.
But the coupon didn't appear in the Sunday paper. Many angry parents called or wrote to ask why the coupon didn't appear in the Globe, saying that their children were "very disappointed" in the Globe.

The Globe switchboard received dozens of phone calls. So did the ombudsman's office.

Michael Seegers, a retail sales manager for the Globe, offered an explanation in an email on Monday (3/27), saying that "something happened in the Design/Display Desk where the coupon ad did not run but a half-page promo ad ran instead." Seegers offered apologies to all frustrated readers.

For those readers who live in or near Boston, Seegers added, the ad that appeared in Sunday's paper can be used at local participating retailers to get the first trading card sheet (Stop & Shop, L'il Peach, Tedeschi's, Store24). For those who live further away from Boston, Seegers said the correct coupon will appear in this Sunday's Globe (4/2/06).

A note to readers in the newspaper explaining the error would have been helpful, such as the corrections or clarifications that run on page A2. Even if this error was not about journalism, Globe readers were expecting something heavily promoted by the paper and didn't receive it. They deserved an explanation.