5 ms·

Probably the most tasteless commercial I've watched in recent time. Pretty disappointing what's become of the state of American marketing.

SoftwareMaven 16y ago
Honestly, I was shocked by it (as was the rest of my family). Yeah, lots of people are talking about Groupon, but it isn't making me want to use it. I do have to wonder if there is a demographic that Groupon targets ("just give me cheap crap") that views things differently ("what the hell is Tibbet [sic] anyway?").
drivebyacct2 16y ago
This is what causes you to be disappointed in American marketing? And uh, how much did you donate to these causes last year exactly?
- jimmyjim 16y ago
  Being that insensitive to the sufferings of others and trivializing it to some coupon to a fish curry dinner -- well, I can't think of any ad that quite matches it. So yes, this is what causes me to be disappointed in American marketing. And, I try to donate in the capacity that I can (but I cannot always, as I'm a college student who lives on paycheck to paycheck). Thank you for presuming otherwise though.
  - drivebyacct2 16y ago
    It's not even insensitive though. It's fully aware of the fact that those issues are significant and deserving of attention. It's much more of a satire on the fact that most Americans express their "outrage" in Facebook posts and "moral outrage" posts on HN rather than taking action or donating. It's mocking the psuedo moral superiority and giving people want they really want in an abrasive, highly discussed manner. It's good advertising and I don't find it nearly as insulting as everyone here seems to. At the worst, it simply paints a sad satire of American "disaster fatigue" culture. Also, my snark at the end was not necessarily personally directed at you. I guess I'm just indulging in the sarcastic satire that I feel Groupon is borrowing from - it's easy to be outraged at the trivialization of something "tragic", but is it really hurting anyone or anything?
    - vl 16y ago
      >I don't find it nearly as insulting. I don't find these ads insulting at all, I find them distasteful.
    - muhfuhkuh 16y ago
      Well, hell. Why not do a 9/11 one? "The world was shook to it's very foundation the day the World Trade Center buildings were attacked. Heroes fallen, a nation shook; some victims, flames against their back and smoke subsuming them, took a plunge... ... like the falling prices at Bleecker's Appliance on the corner of Warwick and Bushnell, where I just got a killer deal on a refrigerator through Groupon!" Oh, right. Fresh wounds and all, right?
      - drivebyacct2 16y ago
        Heh, not really as if I can respond to this without sounding like a jerk and being downvoted incessantly. Oh well, I'll take a shot anyway: my response choices included mentioning that it was a decade ago, pointing out that I laugh (albeit how terrible it may or may not be of me) at this image: http://i.min.us/ibOZze.jpg http://i.min.us/ibOZze.jpg, and how I think a personal or national tragedy is slightly different than some animals in the water far enough away that I don't actually think about them regularly. I'd actually be more upset if they ran an ad mocking peoples' opposition to the war... or you know something substantial. I find that the continued SHOCK over 9/11 is really just another symptom of our addiction to "disaster porn" [1]. We in the US love a good disaster, especially if it's a banner under which to assert staunch nationalism (and with it pass the largest violation of Constitutional rights in the history of this country and invade two others), and continue to drum up emotion, support and excuses for ourselves and our government. Yes it was terrible, yes people died. More people died in automobile accidents. Ask yourself why you're so worked up over 9/11. Was it graphic? Maybe, but that probably has to do with our constant reiteration of what a "tragedy" it was along with footage of the towers falling. [1]: less "shockingly" known as Compassion Fatigue (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compassion_fatigue http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compassion_fatigue) (hm, this article isn't a very good discussion. I'm more familiar with it in the policy debate world where it has a bit more relevant meaning)

SoftwareMaven 16y ago

Honestly, I was shocked by it (as was the rest of my family). Yeah, lots of people are talking about Groupon, but it isn't making me want to use it. I do have to wonder if there is a demographic that Groupon targets ("just give me cheap crap") that views things differently ("what the hell is Tibbet [sic] anyway?").

drivebyacct2 16y ago

This is what causes you to be disappointed in American marketing? And uh, how much did you donate to these causes last year exactly?

jimmyjim 16y ago
Being that insensitive to the sufferings of others and trivializing it to some coupon to a fish curry dinner -- well, I can't think of any ad that quite matches it. So yes, this is what causes me to be disappointed in American marketing. And, I try to donate in the capacity that I can (but I cannot always, as I'm a college student who lives on paycheck to paycheck). Thank you for presuming otherwise though.
- drivebyacct2 16y ago
  It's not even insensitive though. It's fully aware of the fact that those issues are significant and deserving of attention. It's much more of a satire on the fact that most Americans express their "outrage" in Facebook posts and "moral outrage" posts on HN rather than taking action or donating. It's mocking the psuedo moral superiority and giving people want they really want in an abrasive, highly discussed manner. It's good advertising and I don't find it nearly as insulting as everyone here seems to. At the worst, it simply paints a sad satire of American "disaster fatigue" culture. Also, my snark at the end was not necessarily personally directed at you. I guess I'm just indulging in the sarcastic satire that I feel Groupon is borrowing from - it's easy to be outraged at the trivialization of something "tragic", but is it really hurting anyone or anything?
  - vl 16y ago
    >I don't find it nearly as insulting. I don't find these ads insulting at all, I find them distasteful.
  - muhfuhkuh 16y ago
    Well, hell. Why not do a 9/11 one? "The world was shook to it's very foundation the day the World Trade Center buildings were attacked. Heroes fallen, a nation shook; some victims, flames against their back and smoke subsuming them, took a plunge... ... like the falling prices at Bleecker's Appliance on the corner of Warwick and Bushnell, where I just got a killer deal on a refrigerator through Groupon!" Oh, right. Fresh wounds and all, right?
    - drivebyacct2 16y ago
      Heh, not really as if I can respond to this without sounding like a jerk and being downvoted incessantly. Oh well, I'll take a shot anyway: my response choices included mentioning that it was a decade ago, pointing out that I laugh (albeit how terrible it may or may not be of me) at this image: http://i.min.us/ibOZze.jpg http://i.min.us/ibOZze.jpg, and how I think a personal or national tragedy is slightly different than some animals in the water far enough away that I don't actually think about them regularly. I'd actually be more upset if they ran an ad mocking peoples' opposition to the war... or you know something substantial. I find that the continued SHOCK over 9/11 is really just another symptom of our addiction to "disaster porn" [1]. We in the US love a good disaster, especially if it's a banner under which to assert staunch nationalism (and with it pass the largest violation of Constitutional rights in the history of this country and invade two others), and continue to drum up emotion, support and excuses for ourselves and our government. Yes it was terrible, yes people died. More people died in automobile accidents. Ask yourself why you're so worked up over 9/11. Was it graphic? Maybe, but that probably has to do with our constant reiteration of what a "tragedy" it was along with footage of the towers falling. [1]: less "shockingly" known as Compassion Fatigue (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compassion_fatigue http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compassion_fatigue) (hm, this article isn't a very good discussion. I'm more familiar with it in the policy debate world where it has a bit more relevant meaning)