Commercial advertisements are sensitive entities that should be treated with the integrity they deserve. Through the advertisements, the business company seek to catch the attention of the viewers through appealing to various values and ethical dimensions. After watching the infamous Groupon super bowl advert through media, I immediately felt that something was wrong with the commercial. The advert whose context was based in the mountain of Tibet featured the fish curry and other cultural issues associated with the people of Tibet. The advert was very unethical because of the manner in which it presented itself, and it is full of insensitivity in its presentation and setup. One of the major themes that are very conspicuous in the advert is the use of the plight of the people of Tibet to sell the services offered by Tibet.
The advert also depicted the people of Tibet in a negative sense through lacking respect and integrity to their identity and social status. Therefore, basing the advert on a coverage for the people of Tibet in that manner was one of the most controversial decisions made by Groupon. Due to the lack of sensitivity to crucial issues that are intimate to the people of Tibet, Groupon lost a lot of revenues because the negative portrayal led to the withdrawal of some support.
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Andrew Mason’s Statement to the people of Tibet and the whole customer family is also one of the statements that have come under massive criticism. The intention of the statement was good, and it was obviously intended at withdrawing the negative impact created by the advert. The message in the apology is very clear, and Mason spent some good time trying to express the intended meaning of the advert. However, the presentation and timing of the message add up to adding some insult to the negative image created by the advert. The ego with which Mason presents the apology does not depict an attitude that is remorseful over an event that has negated the image of the company. The criticism that is also directed at the apology is justified because it also lacks the sensitivity that should be accorded an apology of that magnitude. In my capacity, I get the message that Mason intended to pass, but it does not make any sense in the capacity of an apology because of the tone in which it is presented. The choice of the words is also not the best for an apology.
As the Groupon’s communication representative, there are various aspects that need massive improvement concerning the advert and the apology. First, recognizing that the advert had a negative impact, its withdrawal should have occurred immediately and followed by and appropriate apology statement. A good apology also presents a classic opportunity for the company to restore its credibility and regain a positive image for the company. Therefore, the apology should have been presented with a good choice of words that exhibit remorse and be presented with an apologetic tone that can capture the imagination and cultural values of the offended populations.
