How Controversial is the ‘Controversial’ Groupon Super Bowl Ad?
- Posted on February 7, 2011 at 8:02am by
Jonathon M. Seidl
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The day afer the Super Bowl there are always plenty of commercial critiques buzzing around the internet. And there is a good deal of material that will be, and should be, scrutinized. But one commercial in particular is catching the eye of many — and it’s one that you might not suspect. The hot item? Groupon’s “Tibet” ad.
The commercial features actor Timothy Hutton in a fake PSA that originally appears to be a warm defense of the Tibetan people and their suffering at the hands of China. But it’s not.
“The people of Tibet are in trouble,” actor Hutton says in the ad. “Their very culture is in jeopardy. But they still whip up an amazing fish curry.” He goes on to explain that because 200 people signed up for a Groupon, they can all enjoy the great food. And that’s it.
But the ad has some wondering if Groupon crossed the line by exploiting the suffering of a people group, especially in light of the events in Egypt. The group went as far as to write on its Twitter account, “Support Tibet’s largest charity” with a link to its commercial as well as three other ads that are similar. The page does, however, allow people to donate $15 to a Tibetan charity. It also allows people who watch a different ad to donate $15 to Greenpeace to support anti-whaling. Greenpeace, you might remember, is the same group that took part in the anti-capitalist rally last weekend in protest of the Koch brothers.
The tweet and the commercial had one person asking if Kenneth Cole, who tried to exploit the Egyptian crisis last week, came up with the idea:
Now the ad:
Groupon explained the concept like this:
The gist of the concept is this: When groups of people act together to do something, it’s usually to help a cause. With Groupon, people act together to help themselves by getting great deals. So what if we did a parody of a celebrity-narrated, PSA-style commercial that you think is about some noble cause (such as “Save the Whales”), but then it’s revealed to actually be a passionate call to action to help yourself (as in “Save the Money”)?
You can watch the other ads here.
What do you think, controversial or not, especially considering some of the other racy commercials that aired?
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Comments (112)
darlenekay
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 10:11amIt was a dumb ad. I thought most of the ads were dumb. I was looking forward to the eTrade baby and he was a big let down. What happened to the Budweiser ‘to be continued’ ads? They never appeared.
Report Post »Eblaze44
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 7:42pmso, you‘ve seen any ad lately that wasn’t “dumb” or “dumber”. I watch very very little tv, and only watched about 20 minutes of the super bowl. my clicker has a mute button – it’s for commercials. most ads are mostly BS, they make idiots of whoever is doing the commercial, they put down men and women and put you in the position of being infantile or stupid.
Report Post »smellycat
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 10:11amNo faux outrage here. No controversy either. The ad was extremely crass and in poor taste. Period.
Report Post »paulnashtn
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 9:57amThey refused an ad that showed John 3:16 twice then put this HIGHLY offensive piece on?
Report Post »To reference the serious situation in Tibet then show the opulence of a Chicago restaurant is(at least to me) way over the top.
biggreenboo
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 11:45amAgain… they showed the 3:16 commercial!!!!!!!
Report Post »paulnashtn
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 5:14pmThey DID reject the ad and then backed down and showed it in select locations — not nationwide and never acknowledged that they were going to show it as they did other ads
Report Post »i.e. they snuk it in a few places to avoid further criticism
MaggieRose
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 9:54amok… just change the wording a bit, and see if it rings a bell for anyone, because this is what has been happening in Tibet:
Report Post »” The people in Israel are in trouble. Their very culture is in jeopardy. Sure, they had a rough time in the 1940′s, but they sure make a great mahtza ball soup!”
To me, it is just the same as what the people in Tibet are going through, except the Tibetans choose the path of peace, and not armed resistance as their leader the Dalai Lama has instructed them.
Don’t get me wrong… I stand strong with Israel, and will defend her with my last breath, and she has every right to defend herself. I am simply stating that what the Hebrew nation went through with the systematic erradication from the Nazi regime is what the Tibetans have been going through with China.
Guess Timothy Hutton was a few million short this week…
twofoot_trucker
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 10:09amHey how’s that whole “path of peace” thing working out for them? If they want their own freedom, maybe they should consider standing up for it. Little hint, the way to stand up communist politicians can not be limited to peaceful thoughts and prayers. There comes a time when, if you really want freedom, you have to be willing to bleed for it.
Report Post »Sinista Mace
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 10:35amThey are willing to bleed for it. They simply aren’t willing to make others bleed for it.
Violence begets violence. They have endeavored to break the cycle of violence.
I commend them, for they fear not he who can destroy the body, but he who can destroy the soul.
Hail to the jewel in the lotus.
Report Post »twofoot_trucker
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 10:57am@Sinista;
Then they aren’t serious about being free. I have respect for all people, from the Amish to the Dalai Lama that want to live in peace. But if and when your people are being slaughtered, at some point you have to stand up and fight for yourselves.
Report Post »Sinista Mace
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 5:32pmThey’re not in a position to stand up and fight for themselves. They’ll be slaughtered.
And they shouldn’t have to stand alone either with the peanut gallery making jokes.
Report Post »slayer4fun
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 9:13amSinista,
Report Post »I find it interesting that you should use the quote “fear not he who can destroy the body, but he who can destroy the soul.” Because when Jesus said that he was talking about people just like the monks of Tibet who believe there is another way to heaven besides Jesus. So the question is who is worse those who are killing the monks physical bodies or the monks who are killing the soul? I am curious did anyone find the cross dresser commercial wrong? It was a lot harder explaining that one to my 9 year old than the Hutton commercial.
Sinista Mace
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 4:15pm“Slayer4fun”
Do not corrupt the doctrine of Christ.
Jesus was specifically referring to violence.
“…but rather fear him, which is able to destroy both body and soul in hell. This is a description of God, and of his power, who is able to do that which men are not: all that they can do, by divine permission, is to kill the body; but he is able to “destroy”, that is, to torment and punish both body and soul “in hell”, in everlasting burnings; for neither soul nor body will be annihilated; though this he is able to do.”
http://bible.cc/matthew/10-28.htm
Specifically, Jesus’ doctrine is to turn the other cheek to violence, because it heaps great hot coals of fire upon the violent head, and burns their conscience.
I don’t find Buddhism and Christianity to be mutually exclusive.
Jesus Christ is the Jewel in the Lotus in my opinion.
The parallels between Christianity and Buddhist doctrine are striking, despite other striking differences.
Report Post »Sinista Mace
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 9:46amThose people aren’t doing anything to anyone, and China’s disgusting commies are treating them like sewage!
I wonder how people would feel if say, the Amish were treated like that in America, or the Quakers, or the sacrosanct Israelis…
Report Post »Happy Killmore
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 1:40pmOr people like me: the habitually offended. Frankly, I‘m offended that you’re offended. The mace on your shield is offensive and violent. (Mine is a gun because the rules don’t apply to me.)
Report Post »Sinista Mace
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 5:31pmYou’re acting childish and oversimplifying the issue.
You’re attempting to assuage the offense to this issue with levity and humour, and all you manage to do is throw salt in the wound.
I suggest that if you have nothing nice to say, then keep your comments to yourself.
Of course, you can continue to spew your insensitivites to other’s feelings.
No skin off my nose.
Report Post »Happy Killmore
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 3:53amEvidently it IS skin off your nose. You keep posting being all butt-hurt about it.
Report Post »mrsclark
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 9:46amWhy does everything have to be sooo darned PC!! I am sick of everything being “controversial”
Report Post »LostandFound
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 4:30pmNo one can take a damn joke, thats why!
Report Post »MaggieRose
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 9:45amThis ad was so much more than “in poor taste.” We have an entire culture, and entire race of people (again) being systematically wiped out by a communist regime and the world turns its collective back. I for one will NEVER watch anything Timothy Hutton “stars” in again, or promotes, or has anything to do with. All I can say is God have mercy on the USA while we make fun of those being slaughtered by a brutal regime so we can have “great fish curry.” Makes me want to puke.
Report Post »BuckOfama
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 10:10amGet down from your cross Maggie, Jimmy Carter needs the wood.
Report Post »Sinista Mace
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 10:31amI share your sentiments Maggie.
People are extremely callous these days. Their hearts are that of lead, not flesh.
Report Post »biggreenboo
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 11:42amOMG Buck… THAT WAS FUNNY!!!!
Report Post »eat-more-bacon-USA
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 9:25amFree Tibet* – ( *with purchase of a Tibet of equal or greater value )
Report Post »twofoot_trucker
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 9:43amHehehe…. OK. I don’t care who you are, that’s one is funny.
Report Post »MaggieRose
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 9:56amNo… it’s really not funny
Report Post »biggreenboo
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 11:40amBut you should… because now we want to hear it!
Report Post »Sinista Mace
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 5:35pmIt’s not funny, my initial response was “awww..why did they take a shot at those folks..why did they deserve that…”
I’m still trying to figure out why that shot was taken at Tibetans.
It’s as much as a slap in the face as Obama refusing to meet with the Dalai Lama, a certified man of peace.
Om Mani Padme Hum.
Report Post »LostandFound
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 4:26pmYes, yes it is really funny!
Report Post »Sinista Mace
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 9:22amAbsolutely nothing is funny about this mockery of the people of Tibet.
Om Mani Padme Hum.
Om Tare Tuttare Ture Souha.
Hail to the Jewel in the Lotus.
Report Post »Happy Killmore
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 1:36pmI found the entire spectacle of the “Super” Bowl offensive! The ball is pigskin and that offends Muslims. The guys all bend way over and the quarterback reaches under that guy’s butt which offends Christians and homophobes. Also, that pigskin ball offends the PETA types. No women play so someone should get NOW on the phone immediately! A lot of kids watch and are too sleepy in school so get the teachers union ready. I’m also certain that Blackeyd Peas MUST be racist somehow. I also cannot believe how underrepresented Asians are in the NFL! I have been on the phone with the ACLU all day and I’m sure we can get it cancelled in time for next year because life is too short to not be offended by everything.
Report Post »James Wieck
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 5:01pmThank you Happy. Excellant perspective.
Report Post »Sinista Mace
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 5:27pmI understand your sentiment, Happy.
So tell me, how would you feel about a nice Quiznos commercial with Jews in an Oven?
Report Post »Happy Killmore
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 2:53amRight… Because Timothy Hutton is eating a Tibetan Monk in the ad so that’s exactly the same thing..
Hail to the jewel in Megan Fox’s thong
Report Post »Silversmith
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 9:18amNot so great a joke or so large a controversy as to matter much.
Silversmith
Report Post »MaggieRose
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 10:02amGuess it matters if you’re the one at the wrong end of a Chinese rifle
Report Post »kickagrandma
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 9:07amI told you so…. JOHN 3:16!!! FOX will long be paying for the errors in judgment made this year. Seems like the entire superbowl was a toilet bowl instead of what it could have been. So sad, AMERICA. Time to turn us back over to CHRISTIANS and REAL AMERICANS!
Report Post »James83940
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 9:01amNOT controversial – move on liberals!
Report Post »twofoot_trucker
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 8:54amActually, after years of seeing “Free Tibet” stickers on hippymobiles from one side of the country to the other, I got a laugh out of it. A small laugh, but still a laugh.
Best commercial of the night was the Darth Vader kid.
Report Post »338lapua
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 9:32amSorry I missed that one(roasting the turkey) the only one that made me laugh was the doritos one. So ridiculous it made me laugh.
Report Post »Rashomon
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 8:43amI hope Hutton can leverage this to his advantage.
Report Post »Bermuda Onion
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 8:42amWhat you have to realize is that most ads are produced by libs and libs can do and say whatever they want in the name of art. If the ad was for some conservative type group and it poked fun at Peta or unPlanned Parenthood the knives and pitch forks would be out.
I am sorry for the above comment it sounded rather violent with the knives and pitch forks reference.
Report Post »Uncle Dave
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 9:17amYes, Onion, you should be ashamed. We are supposed to be cutting out the violent rhetoric … oops, sorry I shouldn’t have used the word “cutting”.
Report Post »338lapua
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 9:28amYou are among friends here. Friends who own knives and pitchforks, and use them as tools. So, my interpretation of what you said is that “we need to use all the tools at our disposal” . I saw no violence.
Report Post »hightide
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 8:38amI use Groupon all the time. They have great deals on things that I use, and food that I eat. I thought this was funny. Did we loose our sense of humor somewhere along the way? Of course I have not seen the other ad. but this one is funny. It’s what they do.
Report Post »Bermuda Onion
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 8:46amI know, it’s the liberal influences in EVERYTHING nowadays that people cannot enjoy a funny item anymore. People have that nervous feeling like laughing very nervously and wondering if they should laugh at all. We ALL have lost the sense of laughing if something is truly funny, not offensively funny as libs like Maher like to do but truly bust a gut at something really hilarious without reading too much into it.
Report Post »LLATPOH
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 10:18amI dunno – When I saw that commercial start up, I was intrigued. “Finally,” I thought, “someone is standing up for Tibet.” Then came the punch line. Wow. Now that was heartless.
Flash back to the 1940′s… “The Jews living in Germany are in trouble… Their very way of life is in jeopardy. Still, they make an excellent sauerbraten, and you get to save!”
Yeah. Turns out there ARE some things that are best left unsaid. No bans, just a reintroduction of common sense.
Report Post »Mackerel
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 8:37amWorst Super Bowl commercials EVER!!!!!
Report Post »MaggieRose
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 9:57amand seemed more violent, don’t you think?
Report Post »PA PATRIOT
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 8:31amShould have been TImothy Hutton sucking the fingers of the Doritos Guy.
Report Post »Ugh Poor taste, no pun intended.
meddlehead
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 8:24amWho cares about the adds? The libs are greedy and clueless and the country is heading down the crapper. Let’s Spend the next 2 weeks gearing up for Daytona and then devote ourselves to getting the libs voted out next year.
Report Post »Bluenose177
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 8:16amyawn more faux outrage
Report Post »MommaGrizzly
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 8:11amI was disappointed when watching this. – shouldn’t have been surprised but I was. And saddened.
Report Post »jedi.kep
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 8:07amI thought this add and the one where the baby gets smacked up against the glass were both in poor taste.
Report Post »Jim
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 12:39pmNow that baby on glass was too funny. I don’t care who you are, there is something hilarious about a baby squeaking down a window! ROFLMAO
Report Post »dpselfe
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 2:01pmYou mean…the clearly fake baby? Wasn’t as funny as Roseanne (pick a last name) getting pummeled by a log.
Now that, son……was funny!
Report Post »Dustyluv
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 8:07amWhen does the left take advantage of other people’s suffering? Answer…24/7
Report Post »mcmeador
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 8:07amI had not previously heard any controversy over this commercial. It was new to me when I saw it. I immediately thought it was inappropriate.
Report Post »Cemoto78
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 8:20amI never even heard of Groupon and now I know why. As far as the other commercials during the super bowl, I thought they all were a let down compared to previous super bowl ads.
Report Post »On a better note. the Green Bay Packers are world champions and that is the greatest thing of all. The Lombardi trophy is back where it belongs, in title town USA.
Go Pack Go! Here comes the next dynasty team.
grandmaof5
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 8:40amBut the important thing is, we didn’t offend anyone with the cancelled commercial with JOHN 3:16 on the player’s face when he gets up from the tackle. FOX needs to get rid of the person who reviews these commercials and replace him/her with someone with common sense and a “set”.
Report Post »biggreenboo
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 11:37amDoes anyone here even realize the John 3:16 commercial wasn’t cancelled? Were you even watching? Or are you just commenting because it’s what you do?
Report Post »grandmaof5
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 1:52pmBIGGREENBOO, honestly didn’t watch all of the pre-game ads and chased a 2 yr old during part of the game, the last I heard (and I emailed FOX – no response) was that it was cancelled. I apologize to FOX if it was on and I missed it.
Report Post »royalstar
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 6:54pmThe lack of in your face political correctness was kind of refreshing though. Bad press is as good as good press from an advertising standpoint. They win no matter what. It was a bit cold though.
Report Post »GeauxAlready
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 8:07am.
Report Post »Groupon? I thought they said Gropon. No wonder my wife hit me………….
Cheekymnky2
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 8:28amNo, that was the TSA ad after the game.
Report Post »tower7femacamp
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 8:44ammaybe they meant Groping ? like the TSA
Even as Christina Aguilera butchered the words to the American national anthem before the start of last night’s Super Bowl, the hard-fought freedoms recognized in that song were being eviscerated as hired goons conducted 4th Amendment busting pat downs on people entering the stadium.
But if you think that was too invasive, you ain’t seen nothing yet. As part of Homeland Security’s complete takeover of society, at future Super Bowls, TSA agents will get to interrogate you at special checkpoints which will use “physiological” and “behavioral” tests to determine if you’re a terrorist or a criminal.
“Everyone entering the stadium must pass through a magnetometer, such as those used at airports, and get a pat down as part of the screening process. The majority of fans will enter through checkpoints on the east side of Cowboys Stadium,” reported the Dallas Star-Telegram on Friday.
Big Sis seized upon the spectacle of the Super Bowl to saturate the public with the inherently fascist public-private partnership which has given birth to the “See Something, Say Something” monstrosity, the citizen snitch program that has wiped away any doubt that America is now a rotting banana republic.
Report Post »http://www.infowars.com/forget-super-bowl-pat-downs-big-sis-wants-interrogations-and-behavioral-tests/
MAULEMALL
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 9:10amToo Funny…
Is Groupon a Chinese company?
Report Post »bikerr
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 9:15amAnd they refused an ad that had a brief reference to John 3;16?. because it was political or religious in nature? confusing but not surprising.
Report Post »AzDebi
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 9:29am“….Big Sis seized upon the spectacle of the Super Bowl to saturate the public with the inherently fascist public-private partnership which has given birth to the “See Something, Say Something” monstrosity, the citizen snitch program that has wiped away any doubt that America is now a rotting banana republic.”
Report Post »___________
As always, well stated and to the point! Can’t believe that Americans are putting up with this invasion of our rights…I find it astonishing that NO ONE has enough patriotism to say NO! What an opportunity was ONCE AGAIN missed…All it would have taken was for just hundreds of the thousands who attended to just refuse these invasions…you can bet that it wouldn’t happen next year! Our forefathers would be devastated watching the cowardice of it all! I’m beginning to think that we are honestly DOOMED!
Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 10:15amOriginally I thought it was a commercial about the Dali Lama and the conflict of China v Tibetian cultures over the last years. I have considered using the Groupon sight for some time, yet this one ad has convinced me not to patronize the sight ever again.
Report Post »GhostOfJefferson
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 10:55amIt was just an ad folks.
Report Post »AmericanSoldier
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 12:54pmGroupon is actually pretty great. It’s like buying a gift card but you get more than you pay for. So say you get a $30 gift card to Outback Steak house but you only pay for $15 of it through Groupon. I’ve been using groupon for a while now.
Report Post »My Sacred Honor
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 1:15pm“How controversial”??
Report Post »My mom is all about some Tibet and their troubles and started agreeing immediately when this ad first began, then we ALL busted out laughing when he did the “fish curry” line.
But then, we all have a sick sense of humor, so maybe the question still stands….
Ditto Head
Posted on February 7, 2011 at 3:47pmThat was one of the best commercials they had. I’ll admit, they totally faked me out.
Report Post »UPSETVET
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 10:26amCommercials are designed to help sell a product, The Groupon Superbowl ad should have been one of the commercials that were canceled before being aired during the Superbowl. Why ? I don’t believe the exploitation of an oppressed people is amusing. China invaded Tibet decades ago and nothing has been done about it either by the UN or the major democratic countries. It was a commercial of bad taste and new members for Groupon won’t be the result. As a matter of fact Groupon will probably loose members who are sympathetic to Tibet’s struggle for freedom from Chinese agression and oppression.
Report Post »