Groupon’s Super Bowl Ad Quickly Draws Backlash

First!

Oops–Fail!!

Groupon just managed to pay millions for an ad that will benefit LivingSocial

Horrible commercial. Extremely offensive. I’ll be dropping Groupon from my email inbox and marking it as SPAM.

That commercial just made sure that I will NEVER use Groupon.

If you really want to be offended, I guess you will find a way. I doubt they even meant to offend, its just hard to know what will cause some peoples vaginitis to flare up. God forbid some of these morons watch something like southpark, or even family guy. Their heads might explode, from not being taken seriously enough.

I’m totally overwhelmed by the indecency of this commercial. Low doesn’t say it bad enough. Tibet, you’re in my heart. Boo, Groupon!

That was terrible, and I don’t get offended easily. Forget unsubscribing, I’m going to mark them as spam from now on. Screw those guys

Timothy Hutton?! Maybe my mom will like the ad. A knock against Tibet?! Pretty lame. I expected more considering groupons usual wit. I think they are just growing too fast and can’t keep up and maintain quality.

You people get offended too easily. Calm down. Don’t be zealous PC-diots

I found the ad offensive. To make light of anothers plight for your own gain? Not cool.

Listen, I can laugh off a lot of jokes and make light of a lot of things, but this was just over the top. Making light of one people group’s perishing while another can throw money away on restaurant food was too much. I seriously doubt they were aiming to have this response but it was in poor taste.

Join the Facebook Group http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Tibetan-Groupon-Commercial-Was-In-Poor-Taste/196872437005043

ok. best superbowl commercial ever. well done groupon for making something edgy and to the point. obviously, it got people talking and when that happens, you know it is good.

just dumb

to me it wasn’t offensive, but it was stupid, it was a dumb commercial.

BTW, if you go to Groupon’s website, you can donate to help each of the causes they were spoofing and groupon will also. They cooperated with the charities names BEFORE they made the ads. Its HUMOR and helps the cuases, too.

very poor taste. it’s crap like this commercial that desensitizes people to atrocities continuing around the world. instead of their very measly $100,000 match donation, why don’t they REALLY pony up and match their own budget squandered on that pathetic ad campaign?

Group on is so edgy and hip, what will they do next??? D bags

I couldn’t get online fast enough to let Groupon know that was horrible to the Tibetan people. Nice to see others speaking up.

absolutely hilarious. I will actually use groupon now because I am sick of hypersensitive PC lunatics. Viva la humor, people!

I’m a fan of South Park and Family Guy, and don’t get offended easily, but there was no cleverness or wit in that commercial – just easy “humor” that aims to draw laughs by being outrageous and offensive. Maybe Groupon did it to draw attention to itself via controversy – mission accomplished – but I’ll be boycotting it. You can “like” the boycott Groupon page on Facebook if you feel the same way.

Just deleted Groupon App. Will never use their site again. The ad was shocking. Timmy Hutton fits the role of sociopath very well though. It seemed like such a natural fit for him. Hope it wrecks his career so we won’t have to see his lame face on the big screen ever again.

I think Tibetan food #ucks anyway.

OK, so there’s backlash against the Groupon commercial but why have I not seen or heard about any backlash about the livingsocial.com commercial, especially in light of the recent criticism from LGBT factions regarding the SNL skit last week. Personally, I thought the Groupon spot was just stupid. LOVED the HomeAway.com test baby spot though!

Funniest commercial of the entire superbowl. At first I was thinking that it was going to be some depressing ad where a celebrite told us how we should donate to help free tibet. Then Timothy Huton shows up and turns the entire thing around! They might have lost a few customers with this but I’m going to start using their site just because of how amazingly funny that add was.

Apparently raising awareness is a damnable offense. I don’t think most readers saw the end of this article, because Groupon linked to a Tibetan Charity… how awful of them!

Seriously, even if this ad campaign had no link to any charity, nothing in the commercial was offensive unless you wanted it to be.

I thought this was an offensive and exploitative ad. I will think twice before using Groupon again.

So ……..everyone in DC will cancel Groupon? Who cares.They were funny commericails. Some people are so out of touch they think everywhere else in the nation is a mythical land of cavedwellers. Elititist tend to be dumb in a scary Aryian way. Seriously.

Groupon ad which included references to Tibet was a very poor marketing ploy. It made the company appear to be very shallow in its values and implied that the audience was also very insensitive to other cultures plights. The ad seems to say that all Americans are really interested only in materialistic results and lack connection to anything beyond what is good for the moment.

I think it was just done in poor taste, not meant to offend or cause the backlash that it did. Somebody should (and probably will) get fired for it though, because it should be obvious to anybody over 12 that it’s gonna cause some negative feedback.

That commercial was horrific. Tibetans have been summarily invaded and deposed and in many cases slaughtered by China, its like mocking -Rawandans, hey your genocide was bad, but boy what beats a good deal on African couscous! Really? That was the tenor of the ad. Sick. Fill in any ethnic group, Jewish, Native American, etc. Poor, grotesque use of a people’s struggle. Honestly, without hyperbole, really cheap and disgusting. I hope they take a complete dive on this. I will never use them based on that ad.

The Groupon Tibet super bowl commercial was funny. I think it was a great parody of those annoying celebrity sponsored charity videos. I don’t care if you uptight people are offended. You walk a dangerous line when you attack someone’s 1st Amendment right just because what they said bothers you. While of course people have the right to talk about it being offensive, this crap about boycotting and refusing to use their service is ridiculous. The idea of punishing someone, either a single person or an entity, simply because you do not agree with how or what they said is distinctly against what it is to be an American. Dear Americans, please stop whining about every little thing that bothers your precious sensibilities or move somewhere else.

I am truly appalled at your latest Groupon commercial series. I recently became a member, made a purchase and am deeply regretting it. Clearly your priorities are not what I thought they were. I will be deleting your app and pulling myself from your email list. Some things are funny and others really not. So disappointing.

I think that the commercials do a great job of connecting a current issue to the purpose of the company, however the problem is that many Americans are coming to the realization that the rest of the world is watching, and is quite disgusted with how out of touch we as Americans are in terms of our global community. In a time of economic instability, social uprising, and a tipping point that seems will either make us or break us, these commercials are very distasteful and cast Americans and upper-class citizens of the world into a class of insensitive, arrogant, and out-of-touch “haves.” We certainly don’t need this type of mindless media corruption with all of the corruption that is already rampant throughout our media outlets. On the other hand, the commercial made a statement to me that this is how the public and market segments are perceived by marketers and companies, which leaves me really unsettled. Money doesn’t solve everything that DOING and ACTION can.

@xoutkastx3 I have to disagree with your POV on what “it is to be an American”. Every one of us has a right to speak our minds, and the rest of us have an equally crucial right to respond in kind with our mouths…and our dollars, which tend to speak a lot louder…

By far the funniest Superbowl commercial. It totally mocks the typical commercial where some celebrity gets on their high horse and preaches to us while doing nothing to make the world a better place. I’ve never used Groupon before, but I want to reward them for making an otherwise terrible Super Bowl Ad season amusing.

@Will Corruption? Humor is a type of corruption? Using humor to point out a problem in Tibet is…evil?

Hey, it’s causing a lot of discussion… isn’t that a win for any ad, show, etc.?

So everyone who is sitting on their expensive computers is taking offense to a commercial that pokes fun of OUR OWN shallowness while raising money for awesome charities?! Get over yourselves and your PC BS. These are the same people who no one invites to parties.

@Lizit First things first, you can’t have “everyone one of us” and “the rest of us.” One or the other. So, you agree with me, but are still choosing to punish a corporation for what they said? So, following that logic, it would be legitimate for your boss to fire you for siding against Groupon?

Did these completely tasteless and offensive commercials generate publicity? Maybe. Did they lose my business? Definitely.

@xoutkastx3 Clearly you have no idea what the first amendment really is, or how capitalism works. I don’t give people I don’t like my money, that’s as ‘American’ as anything else. Me not buying their stuff because they irritate me really doesn’t even have anything to do with the first amendment. It has everything to do with my free choice to patronize businesses or not depending on whatever my whims happen to be. Stop trotting out fake patriotism just because you like to think you’re a hardcore anti-politically-correct defender of douchebaggery.

I am very, very for stuff like this. The more people offended, the better. I absolutely love it. Why? Because right now, in the United States of America, people struggling for marriage equality are being ignored and slighted by a populace who could rise up, complain LIKE THEY JUST DID ABOUT THIS ADVERT, and quash the anti-gay monsters who are denying committed couples and their defenseless children marriage equality. And it’s not happening. Not by a long shot. So every time I see something offending people, I cheer. If that’s what it’s going to take to wake people up, I am all for it 100%. If you care about the people slighted by this commercial, how about doing some good in the good ol’ U.S. of A. and standing up for second-class citizens right here within our borders. THANK YOU.

I love how offended everyone is. Newsflash: This is how those families feel every, single, day of their lives. Yep. Seriously. Every day, all day. Welcome to reality.

@itsalljustaride Perhaps you should learn to read. There is nothing wrong with not giving them money if you don’t like them. Good for you, even. My issue is why you don’t like them. Bad product, fine. Bad service, fine.

“Me not buying their stuff because they irritate me really doesn’t even have anything to do with the first amendment.”

If this is the case, then why are you deciding this only now, after a commercial bothers you? If what is irritating you is a message they put out, it is clearly related to the first amendment. Don’t trot out Capitalism if you haven’t formed a decent argument.

Wow. This is like making a fun of people dying during Katrina while getting a deal on Cajun food Indonesian food during the tsunami. Because loss of life is funny!

I really hope their IPO flops as much as it should. 15 Billion?

@xoutkastx3

“So, you agree with me, but are still choosing to punish a corporation for what they said? ”

Who is “punishing” anyone? We’re exercising our rights as consumers to buy from people we like, and not buy from people we don’t. This isn’t even a free speech issue at all. You are a confused person. The power of consumer choice is fundamental to our economic system.

Unsubscribe Groupon. So did my wife.

May be next time, they’ll do a spot on Auschwitz and give discounts on kosher grocery (sarcasm).

All the outrage is pretty funny, since probably about .01% of the people tweeting insults actually bother to give their time or money to any causes whatsoever, let alone Tibet.

The ads definitely could have been more obviously out for humor with sharper line readings, but Christopher Guest was the director, and he favors things on the dry side. Maybe that was part of the problem why so many people didn’t get it? In any event, I definitely got: 1) that they were lampooning sanctimonious celebrities; 2) that the whole thing was a joke; and 3) people love any chance to be self-righteous.

Lighten up, folks.

Tibet is no where near the sea, or a lake, or a river with fish in it, so the idea of Tibetan fish curry is just moronic.

Exploiting a culture to make a buck. This is acceptable now? Oh wait, that’s capitalism.

Two sins here. Wasn’t funny and way to make light of the destruction of an entire culture. To those referencing the links to charity, so what!! By that logic as long as I make a half hearted charity donation I can deride anyone or any group. Morally bankrupt and pardon those of us with a conscience. I love the family guy and south park, to the posters who have used those shows as a defense get a clue those are satires not a company trying to raise its profile

The mass raping of peaceful nuns on the streets of Tibet – hilarious. Donating 100K when you spent 3 Million on the ad – cheap and meaningless.

@xoutkastx3

I can base my purchasing decisions on any random facet of a company I choose, and it would be valid, because it’s my money. Any good company will tell you that their image and brand are as much a part of their product as the actual stuff you take home. If I don’t like who they are or what they do in the course of their business affairs, or in this case how they represent themselves in their advertising, that is just as legitimate a factor as whether or not their actual products or services are of sufficient quality. There are many other places I can spend my money and get similar products of equal quality with no lame advertising. That’s choice, and this is me exercising it.

@itsalljustaride

Case in point, Karma just explained they should lose 15 billion dollars for something they said.

Again, you are not reading. I am perfectly fine with you not buying from a corporation because you don’t like them. That is NOT, again, NOT the issue. My problem is WHY you don’t like them.

Not buying from them because they harvest orphan souls, for instance, is fine. Or because they murder puppies or use sweatshops, all valid reasons not to like something a corporation does. Something with a reasonable business argument.

My problem is the validity of your ‘consumer reasoning’. Not buying from them because of a series of commercials ruffled your poor sensitive feathers is the issue.

genocide and torture are funny? i’m on board for some tasteless humor as much as the next guy but china’s occupation of tibet is as funny as cancer…. i agree with the sentiment of a previous post, would you find it funny if 8 million jews were used to sell carnegie deli? no, its too disgusting to imagine, but groupon did it. so i’m sorry if i’m not fun at parties but i wouldn’t care to know you anyway.

@xoutkastx3

The bottom line is this: Just because you can say pretty much anything you want, doesn’t mean you can cry foul when the consequences of that speech come back at you. Don Imus and Dr. Laura found that out real quick. Go ahead, say what’s on your mind, but just because you have that freedom doesn’t mean you’re immune to other people’s freedom do use counter-speech to make you regret it. THAT is what makes this irrelevant from a free speech standpoint. No one is keeping Groupon from saying what they want, but we ARE letting them know with our wallets how we felt about their choices as a company. Freedom of speech only protects you against harassment or legal action by the government, and even that has its caveats. Please take a civics course.

@xoutkastx3

If we follow your logic, then a company could be producing a great product, but killing people in the process and therefore we should still support it. They have the right to say or do whatever under the first amendment, and we have the right to take that into consideration when using or not using their products.

If you’re favorite seafood company all the sudden puts out an ad in favor killing all marine animals (and you like marine animals), should you enable them to do so by buying their products? That’s up to the individual to decide. I’m not following the logic that public perception of a company is not important. Perception is a huge part of a companies success – it’s not all about putting out a ‘good’ product. Take it from Kenneth Cole who retracted and apologized about his similar statements earlier this week since he knew it was bad for his brand.

Hellllllloooooo?! The are not making fun of other people’s cultures and tragedy’s! They are making fun of US, who take our lives/culture for granted. Duh. Lighten up.

@xoutkastx3

So what you’re saying is that a company’s advertising methods are off limits for basing purchasing decisions on? Gee, I thought that was the whole point of advertising. Some do it well, others don’t. This was an example of the later in my opinion.

I’m sick of “edgy” advertising, as if we should somehow reward a company because they are the advertising equivalent of an internet troll. Even if I don’t personally find some of the ads offensive, I resent that they think I’m stupid enough to give them my money just because they’re good at being abrasive. Sorry, that’s how I am, and that’s how I make decisions about who I give my money to sometimes. I don’t patronize businesses that annoy me. How fascist and un-American of me.

So, the commercial pointed out to millions that “The people of Tibet are in trouble, their very culture in jeopardy.” That, in itself, is more socially conscious than any of the other ads I saw.

xoutkastx3 wrote: “My problem is the validity of your ‘consumer reasoning’. Not buying from them because of a series of commercials ruffled your poor sensitive feathers is the issue.”

Seems like it’s your issue. .

Next time please. The Holocaust. Six million Jews died in one of the worst genocides in history. But now you can get 30% off on gefilte fish at Jerry’ Deli using Groupon! Let’s see if Groupon is “edgy” enough to run that one…Let’s stop being PC folks!

The commercial is brilliant in its sad commentary on our culture and the state of capitalism vs. humanity but as self promotion for Groupon it definitely misses the boat. Humanity loses yet again.

Guess what everyone, intent isn’t magical. Good intentions go a long way, yes, but you don’t get to hide behind good intentions when you do something incredibly tacky.

Was it good that they pointed out the plight of Tibet? Yes. They ruined it, however, by saying “Hey, buy from our site so you can try their food” while a rich, white male was being served by someone who was clearly intended to be a Tibetian (if they aren’t actually from that region). How is that not derogatory and obnoxious?

I’m sure that groupon would try to claim culture shock but frankly, all of their ads show a lack of sensibility and all of them were clearly commercializing real problems. People in Tibet shouldn’t be marginalized, no matter how much money Groupon donates to them.

@xoutkastx3

Maybe I should put my “poor sensitive feathers” into context, since you yourself seem to have such a sandy vagina about my purchasing decisions. I visited Tibet in 2004. I have Tibetan friends. I am currently affiliated with a human rights group doing actual work to change China and Tibet for the better. So, yeah, it ruffles my feathers when a company essentially uses the issue of Tibet to sell cheap Americans more stuff they probably don’t need, most of which probably comes from China. Even if, as Jeni proposes, they’re doing so in a satirical context, it’s still them using it to shill their product.

You say you’re only problem is with why I don’t like them. As if me not liking their commercials is somehow not grounds enough for me to decide not to buy their products. I really don’t know what to tell you. If I wanted to buy a car, and one dealer was a real nice guy, and the other was a total jerk, both selling the same car for the same price, why shouldn’t I decide to buy from the nice guy? I guess I just value tact and pro-social behavior. Again, apparently in your world that puts me on the road to making America a fascist dictatorship.

@xoutkastx3

There is nothing more American than voting with your dollar. That is the beauty of capitalism. You don’t like a product? You don’t purchase it and then the company has to find a new way to do business or they’ll fail.

The Groupon Superbowl ad was in EXTREMELY poor tast and offensive. How in the world did it ever get televised??? In our view point, Groupon’s effort was tacky and showed a lack of sensitivity to very REAL world problems. Shame on them!

The irony is that these offensive commercials actually got people talking about Tibet, deforestation, and saving the whales in a way that no commercial specifically directed at those subjects could have…

shouldn’t you cite the authors of those twitter comments? You would if you interviewed someone for a quote, yes?

Where are the user names for the twitter quotes you used? The purpose of citations is so that readers or other interested parties can seek related information or make sure you’re not making things up. It’s easy to copy a tweet but hard to get their username? That’s very unprofessional.

@xoutkastx3

Vote is my money is very American. You offend me, you don’t get my dollars.

Done.

People need to remove the “I’m upset about everything I see and need to comment on it but actually do nothing about the situation to actually HELP” stick up their arse and realize that this was made clearly for people to talk about the charities, raise money for the chairities, while obviously raising awareness of Groupon. INGENIUS!!!!

Oh please. Those ads are clever, funny and show that Groupon as a company has a great sense of humor about itself. Because for those who jump to conclusions without knowing what they’re whining about, Groupon originally grew out of a charitable organization, so they know about being super-serious. I like the ads, I like the company, and a awful lot of people out there really need to take a stress pill and just chill out.

Worst commercial EVER! Shame on them!!! This goes beyond diplomacy. It’s an insult to every Tibetan.

Yeah, which race is next? Who will they pick on? Are they Aryan? Shall they determine anything is good for a deal but only for a certain clientele? Rubbish, outright rubbish.

I hope they apologize big time for their offensiveness. I had considered using them. But no way. Joke, or not…this is not the way to raise awareness. Offensive in ways I cannot fathom….till now….all for money.

I was offended by the fish curry. Fish are friends, not food.

It’s the folks that take these commercials too seriously that are the problem, not Groupon. Lighten up a little, people, if a simple joke like this is too much for you to stomach I don’t know how you’ve not ended up in a padded room by now.

Kenny if your whole society was massacred by China and then the international community left you out to dry you would not be laughing. I sick joke about genocide is still a sick joke even if it is funny. Its people like you that blow off things that don’t effect you; that need to harden up a little.

To all those people who thought that this was some form of meta/tongue-in-cheek humor: yes it was. But that doesn’t change the fact that Groupon is monetizing human suffering. Millions of Tibetans have died under Chinese oppression, and millions more are living in abject poverty and misery, bearing witness on a daily basis to the destruction of their culture. And Groupon is using this to make a buck?

Please boycott this corporation and tell everyone you know to do so. Additionally, please pressure all businesses that advertise through it to end all dealings with it. The vacuousness and utter amorality of 21st century capitalism has been put on display, and we need to collectively say that we’ve had enough.

The Tibetan ad made me want to throw up and desperate never to try this company’s services. Let’s see if we can exploit an entire people’s misery to make a little money! You can say it was all in good fun. But, hey, so are jokes about black people! Hey, next time you hear an N-word joke, lighten up, folks! It was meant to be funny!

“The Red Indian. Massacred by American settlers. The dispirited remnants of entire nations pushed off their land and onto impoverished so-called “reservations”. Our great-grandfathers wiped out their cultures and even tried to exterminate them through policies of genocide. And since 100 of us bought on Groupon.com we’re getting authentic Native American hand-made jewelry 50% off!” Now, see how your perspective changes when the victims of oppression whom you are objectifying for comic effect are actually in your midst and not just on postcards. How funny! Haha!

Was the ad poking fun of groupon users insensitivity or just groupon itself? We’ll just buy anything if it’s on sale? And now they counter with a charity groupon to cover their butts? That sounds awfully premeditated in some messed up guerilla marketing fashion. I hope it all blows up in their face and their IPO (short sell!). Cancel your accounts people. Send a message back to them.

Right, Message in a bottle. Groupon is making fun either of Tibet or of its own customers and product. Either way, it loses. Why buy from a company that holds you in such low regard?

Now I could see if they went ahead and showed the Cuba Gooding one at first for the Save The Whale commercial. That would have set the stage for the others as we would have automatically dismissed it as parody. But no, some idiot (like the tweeter from some shoe company or something like that did about the Cairo incidents) thought it would be funny to “Shock the audience”.

will not be patronizing Groupon on their product/service partners. done with them!

It was an offencive ad. Mocking death and suffering of Tibetans is not funny. What’s next, Groupon? Holocaust jokes? How about try mocking victims of 9/11? I encourage everyone to boycott Groupon.

Nice going, Groupon, hiring has-been (or never-were) “celebrities” to ridicule your customers and your own product. That’s really projecting a “with it” image. Folks, I think the joke’s on them.

Groupon’s business model exploits small businesses trying to survive in this recession. They strong arm the business to offer their goods and services for 50% off and then take 50% of the remaining profit and pass on the credit card charges to the business. They are “teaching” the consumer to chase “deals” which is hurting the remaining businesses who choose not to succumb to Groupon’s ridiculous discounting model. They are getting rich on the backs of small businesses…not surprising that they would use an ad to get rich at the expense of others. Groupon is a truly vulgar company, but Americans don’t care as long as they are getting a deal!

While the ad would have been hilarious in a Christopher Guest movie (I believe he was the actual director of the commercial), it’s not so funny in real life. One is reminded of the recent Kenneth Cole tweet that made light of the bloody pro-democracy protests in Egypt to sell shoes. Advertisers: leave the comedy to comedians.

If you are going to dance on the line, at least make it funny. That commercial was just stupid.

I think the over-concern with PC-speak has led to a sanitization of discourse that avoids meaningful, hard discussions, so I am no fan of being PC. Plus, I have a pretty dark sense of humor. But yes, the Groupon ad absolutely crossed the line. Timothy Hutton got his bucks for doing the ad. Groupon is getting buzz for its buck. Neither really care or will be impacted by my feelings or decisions, but I will not patronize Groupon. Tacky to the hilt. Hutton should donate his fee to a Tibetan relief organization.

All the groupon commercials were in bad taste. Cheryl Crow might want to think twice about her upcoming work with Groupon. As for Andrew Mason – he’s an idiot. I’m done with groupon.

I was excited about my new ability to get a “deal” every day on my e-mail. I purchased one from Groupon, and will not do it again. Signed up for LivingSocial and FoxDeal – they both do the same thing. I was so IMpressed by Groupon, and now I feel DEpressed by their stupidity. What I do like about all of this conversation is I have an even greater awareness about choices I make every day with the power of my dollar. I do support small business, and I find more of them through the “deal” process. If I like the service, or the food or whatever the “deal” was, I will go back for more. I don’t think the intent of the “deal” is to exploit small business hanging on to existence.

This commercial is atrocious and disgusting. Tibet is a human tragedy. It doesn’t take much to figure out what’s wrong with the spot, just make a few substitutions. You know, “The Jews of Europe are in trouble. Their very culture is in jeopardy. But they still whip up an amazing corned beef sandwich. And since 200 of us bought at Groupon.com we’re each getting $30 of Jewish food for just $15 at the 2nd Avenue Deli.”

I won’t be using Groupon until I hear an apology.

Free ad for Tibet separation movement? Great eye catching move by Groupon. Our Chinese friends, there is nothing you can do about it. This is modern Capitalism in a good cover. Well, correction, maybe just don’t patron any business with this speculator like Google.

Moben – are you serious or just un-informed? All the great press about Groupon and other group-buying sites is driven by Wall Street salivating at the prospect of IPO’s in the near future. Groupon IS an exploitive company that is profiting HUGELY at the expense of small businesses (and now at the expense of important social issues) during a recession. It’s a recessionary business model – they know a lot of businesses are desperate to get bodies in the door and businesses will agree to ridiculous discounts that they would NEVER consider if the economy was better. And, businesses give half of the remaining profit from their deal to Groupon! Members of group-buying sites are notorious for chasing the deal, never tipping, and complaining about everything. Welcome to the party. Everyone has their undies in a knot about Groupon’s insensitive Super Bowl ad…until the next 50% deal hits their in-box. Groupon was making fun of people like YOU who use their services. It’s arrogant on their part but they know the American consumer has an insatiable appetite for a deal. If you want to do your part to jump-start the economy, stop using group buying sites.

Yeah….that was a pretty stupid ad, but political correctness has run amuck like crazy here in the U.S.. now lets USE ANOHER GROUP OF ‘PEOPLE’ like the Muslim women of Afghanistan…. Would it have been equal? I’m for the Tibetan people & for the women of Afghanistan…. the commercial suck’d!

Wow, you are way overdoing this. Groupon is a great company, you want to be upset, be upset, but just because some advertising agency had an edgy ad, there is no reason to miss out on tons of great deals that Groupon works soo hard to provide us with every day. Yes – great deals for us, and that’s what I love Groupon for and will continue using them. If you do not want to use them because of some ad, that would be a loss for all of us.

groupoff – wow…well, I guess if a company feels it is worth the exposure to offer discounts to get traffic, then good for them. I am only saying that I try new businesses because of the offer, and I think that is the intent of the coupon blitz. It does work for me, and I hope to go back to places because they’re worth it no matter what coupon I do or don’t have.

I cant believe that ever one cares about something so little this is sad and a waste of your time Groupon is a multi-million corporation why would they care what a bunch of over emotional people in china in china care? It is a waste of time to say your point of view because no one cares get a life and stop posting comments.

Was the add sort of weid? I would say, Yes – changing from social cause to commercial. But the very purpose of the adds are to cause shock and awe! And I think it did, by making people talk about it. I am a Tibetan myself and I think this commercial has helped to inform millions of people on the plight of the Tibetans in Tibet under the Communist Chinese rule. Which of course the Communist Chines Government would not want others to know about.

A BIG THANKS TO GROUPON!!!!

I was totally offended by the Timothy Hutton/Tibetan commercial. I find it disrespectful to make light of a country and culture that has suffered such oppression. I feel the people of Tibet are owed a sincere apology. Likewise, I had never heard of Groupon prior to this, and certainly hope I never hear about them again. I certainly will take great effort to avoid whatever they promote.

All of you that are offended. . .if you care so much, why don’t you put your money where your mouth is. Groupon will match up to $200,000, which these organizations could definitely use to work on the causes that you care so much about: http://savethemoney.groupon.com/

This Ad only helps the people of Tibet. It raises awareness and begins conversations. And everybody is in a tizzy. Why was this a bad Ad again?

You people are sad – time to use that Groupon for 50% off spell check/thesaurus/language software. After that, use the 50% off Living Social coupon for the introductory class on World Economics.

The worst. Groupon, please go as BANKRUPT as your sense of class, taste, and morality.

Yes, it was in bad taste and wrong on several different levels. I liked it because I was about to be more disgusted at first, as I normally am by commercials that make you feel bad for not donating to an issue. Now, I’m actually more likely to donate to Tibet, and maybe use Groupon if they ever get any decent deals where I live.

Groupon, Thank you for showing Tibet struggle to worldwide. i will return the favor by joining groupon family and promote to my family and friends.

Groupon should ask the Tibetan people how they feel about the commericial. Would Groupon do the same type of commercial on Zambia or a poor African nation? You can’t justify disgusting taste and insensitivity for commericail gain. Doesn’t matter who you are. Don’t ask people to “lighten up” because you choose to be disgusting. Groupon lost a customer here. And they’ll get bad publicity whereever I can give it and I;ll promote their competitor sites from my business worldwide.

This just demonstrates how much Groupon doesn’t care, especially about the businesses they represent. They are in for the quick 25% while requiring the business slash the price of an item by 75%. Wham, Bam on to the next sucker.

The real travesty here is that an “event” such as the Super Bowl has gained such popularity that it can garner $3M for 30 seconds of advertising–good or bad. How would that amount of revenue compare to a documentary on Tibet?

The Super Bowl has increasingly become an over-indulgent party pandering primarily to conspicuous consumers–a group that in my own experience generally has little sensitivity for international socio-political issues like Tibet. For those that watched the game and were offended by the commercial, what did you expect? You were supporting the Super Bowl, not PBS.

Get this people, this ad shows that Groupon’s more desperating financially than the Tibeten people who can feed Grouponiers by taking a 50% cut in their profits.

Oh the enraged suburbanites!

Does everybody not see the big picture here? Groupon accomplished its goal: to grab your attention. The more this commercial is discussed, the more publicity Groupon gets. This is free advertising for Groupon1

Look carefully at your 6-inch article. The name Groupon appears 12 times. Certainly the Wall Street Journal has got to respect that.

Groupon succeeded in getting me to unsubscribe from their emails. I think maybe I’m not hip and cynical enough to be using their service. Apparently I’m so uncool that I think it’s weird that a company would spend $6 million to make fun of people who care about Tibet. Strange thing is, my friends are also so unhip that they are also unsubscribing from Groupon. Not only that, but some of them are pulling their company’s accounts as a Groupon advertisers. I guess we are just too stupid to get the joke. But we ARE looking around to see who Groupon’s competition is. So far, all we see is going back to Google Ads and local radio. Can anyone recommend a Groupon replacement please. Thanks, Dumb girls with advertising budgets.

I believe Groupon is now at step 3 in their marketing plan.

Step 1. Spend more than $6 million and be “accidentally” incredibly offensive.

Step 2. Defend your actions for a day.

Step 3. “Realize” that people are really “upset”… mea culpa…. we didn’t mean to offend ..blah blah blah

Step 4. Get a big round of free media about how you’ve really learned your lesson and now you are a more aware and sensitive organization.

Step 5. Celebrate with your ad agency about how many times the word Groupon was used on Facebook and Twitter.

Step 6. (unplanned) Wake up next month and wonder why people “suddenly” hate Groupon and are flocking to the competition. Blame it on customers who just don’t get the “joke.”

If we hadn’t all seen Steps 1- 5 over and over in politics, it would be more effective.

Bleh.

So is this what we’ve come to? Are we as a society so lacking in common moral that we can use the suffering of an entire nation to attract our attention in the name of making a few more bucks? Aren’t there censor bureaus that preview commercials and deem them appropriate before they are released? Why are you surprised that there are nations that hate us? What do you think the Tibetan people feel about this? What do you think the Chinese feel about this commercial? Think people..

Let me ask you this. If groupon had a similar commercial where it showed horrific images of 9/11 and then some stupid celebrity said…that groupon will give you discounted air fare to New York, so you can finally see NY..how would majority of Americans feel about that? It would be a disaster. Exactly, it would be even more outrageous and absolutely terrible commercial. It is exactly the same thing, when they used Tibet. Just because Tibet is in a remote region and seemingly insignificant in terms of their economic powers and resources, it is OK to use them as a prop to promote your website? Absolutely NOT! IT is not about morality or sense of humor, in fact commercials are perhaps not the right way to educated ourselves about anything in life, however to use a nation’s plight for freedom to mis-educate 100 million people In U.S, who are already oblivious to the world to begin with, is just not responsible. It is not about being self riteous or having a sense of humor. I watch South Park and Family Guy all the time and love it. Its way more outrageous, but it caters to an audience in few million that understands the concept behind the show. Groupon commercial was on a national platform, their message was misleading, and it was not really funny to begin with first of all and they chose the wrong country/concept by using Tibet. I am not offended, i am just not amused either and i think their concept of using tragedies around the world as a prop for “low cost” discounts to consumers is just pathetic.

Each of those ads time slots cost $3million dollars, not to mention the other million in making it… The CEO should Donate the $9million dollars total to those charities and then he can get fu**ed and hang himself

y’all have already shown you will ‘buy’ security, prosperity, freedom, democracy, values when sold to you by your government and politicians often evoking pain, suffering, fear, terror! and the even death of your fellow countrymen – the indignant blubbering about an advert concerning a place most couldn’t find on a map is curious – will any of this prompt you take action against the true perpetrators of the Tibetan plight? Yep, y’all probably have a houseful of Made in China merchandise right now!

I honestly found the ad humorous because it was so over the top. What really gets me is that people who don’t have their own personal opinions will piggy back on other’s as long as there are enough of them. No one is really offended at something they probably knew next to nothing about and what bothers me most is that the same people that are complaining about groupon not contributing money to the Tibetan plight will probably never fork over a single penny to the Tibetan fund because hell, it’s just a bunch of little oriental people somewhere I can’t find on the map. You people make me sick and for all the people (like me) who will appreciate the ad and donate accordingly, thank you for your contribution and ability to think independently of the horde mentality.

Welcome to the new low. Creative can be so much more…

Masons’s response to the commercial backlash focuses largely on his intentions and not the results. I doubt he would accept this explanation from an employee so I am disappointed in his response.

I was born in the U.S. and have been a practitioner of Tibetan Buddhism for the last 25 years. I have given thousands of dollars over the last ten years to help rebuild monasteries destroyed in the Cultural Revolution. I have studied texts of Tibetan meditation masters who died in Chinese prisons.

Last weekend I took part in a group meditation retreat. Afterward six or eight of us watched the Superbowl — where we saw this commercial. Maybe it is not the biggest deal in the world — people are stupid and insensitive all the time — but I didn’t see anything remotely funny about the ad.

FYI, Groupon’s $15 BILLION IPO is now going down the toilet. Read that in Wall Street Journal. How is that for a quick Karmic Return?

We will see a lot more than backpedaling from them in the next few weeks. They will next try to buy their way into good graces…but no one is going to take the bait.

Using genocide to create buzz got them more than they expected. Now its the buzz-saw ;-o

Its sad for Groupon, but inevitable.

Not all money is good money. To the whales? They don’t care if you ridicule them, and their plight. But to 6 million surviving Tibetans, who have seen many millions tortured, imprisoned, and killed??? Its not worth the few bucks these greedy connivers will throw their way….maybe. Just note that the genocide in Tibet is as bad or worse than the Jews in WWII, they just haven’t talked about it. Fearing worse from China, INC..

Crispin Porter + Bogusky & Groupon minimized that; just to leverage the $6 Billion Google Offer to $15 Billion public offering. Well, anyone with a conscience isn’t going to buy that stock. Its not only wrong, but look how clueless they are in dealing with China. I wouldn’t give my money to such slap stick, fly by night, Wall Street Opportunists. Would you?

Crispin Porter + Bogusky & Groupon see themselves as clever provocateurs; when in fact they are sad hypocrites.

Trying to buy a Charity Org shield to gain credibility is impossible at this point, they were blatant, shameless, and even proud of being #1 Twit-err; until the double edge of the sword revealed itself.

If the I.P.O. is to work, they have to change their name…again

p.s. Yes,

this is a Great example of how to royally screw up a great IPO….

Groupon’s $15,000,000,000,000 IPO is going down the toilet as we “speak”………..sad, but true.

Maybe, just maybe, principles are not only “nice,” but good business in the long run. Well, in this case, due to the high profile AdFail, short run

So, if China invaded and occupied the US and the French created a commercial that belittled our pain and suffering and laughingly focused on the great BBQ we still make, would that not offend us? Would we be amused? It’s as if some of you people have no sense of empathy whatsoever. I have dropped my Groupon membership, and look forward to using Google’s Groupon competitor. I ask all of you to take a stand for INTEGRITY, ETHICS and EMPATHY and do the same. At some point we need to start treating each other with respect.

Get over it!

Groupon again has shown itself to be a monster with a thirst for blood. The groupon company is run by a clown with a Napoleon complex and a very disturbed vision of his customers and the world. Groupon destroys small businesses and lies to the public and the media. They have an extreme distaste for morals, ethics, laws, and decency.it’s no wonder why they keep getting sued and why they should be investigated by the federal government. Anyone that would invest in Groupon is a bigger arse than Mason! People have been posting that Groupons do not expire by federal law that was signed last year or the year before yet Groupon is supposed to be breaking the law and saying they do expire. Rumor has it that Groupon is about to have a BILLION dollar class action thrown at them because they owe the public BILLIONS in refunds! Just an FYI! Expect Groupon to sink as fast as it climbed!

I thought it was insensitive. Using a touchy topic and acting empathetic about it and then it flip flops to personal gain. They could’ve come up with a better commercial by far. When I see their name I will be reminded of that. Many people have unsubscribed and will use other social coupon sites. I personally like http://www.ImIm.com – they are a great company that I will stand behind – good deals too!

Just realized I listed the wrong link. It’s http://www.imin.com. Anyway, I think people will be looking for alternatives.

@ ROB – Oh no… please…dont Spam our emails… booo hooo… please no. get a life – you buy oil from terrorists but you draw the line at taking coupons from a company with a sense of humor? Way to get your priorities straight

Have unsubscribed to Groupon (effective Feb 7). It was offensive to those causes and demeaned Groupon participants. No, former posts, I don’t think I can ever get over a company making light of situation that has killed thousands … hundred of thousands in Tibet.

It is a very funny paridoy of the “save the world” crowd. Get a life is right! It’s funny!