Groupon: In bed with the Devil?

Groupon, the daily deal giant, paid $3 million for a 30-second Super Bowl spot last week, and one wonders in hindsight if the vast majority of those dollars weren’t handed to someone in a red costume, with horns and the “purest of intentions.”

Groupon CEO Andrew Mason spoke to the recent controversy, saying that the ad was an attempt to make fun of those who it represented (that’s right – Groupon), and not at all a manipulation of the current climate of adversity in Tibet. That’s not all, though. Mason even suggested that there was yet another white-hat agenda: to bring awareness to Groupon’s various charitable endeavors. Perhaps Mason meant what he said, but many, many people disagree.

Look at it this way – if a joke actually has to be explained in detail, something isn’t right. The irony lies in the fact that with some slight editing, the ad could have not only been honorable, but inspiring to millions all over the globe, millions who are desperately waiting for ad agencies to produce campaigns that include integrity, compassion, and understanding. Groupon sure dropped the ball on world relations here, as many would agree.

The ad agency in question? - Crispin Porter & Bogusky. You might remember their recent campaign for Domino’s Pizza, where the company downs itself for creating a sub-par offering to hungry consumers over the years. CP & B took the stance that the best course of action (instead of coming clean about the several scandals over the years) would be a proactively apologetic campaign, one which would gradually win back customers, and re-solidify the Domino’s brand.

Here's how Crispin Porter's group creative director Tony Calcao explained it to Hemispheres Magazine:
"We realized that we couldn't just come out and say we have a brand new pizza, because no one's going to believe Domino's. The first thing you need to do is own up to the fact that you had to make a whole new pizza."

Where will the line be drawn when it comes to advertising to the masses? Should the courts get involved, or will their fines be well worth the black-hat advertising of certain ad agencies or companies?