Company bosses behind controversial TV advertisements featuring actors Timothy Hutton, Cuba Gooding Jr. and Elizabeth Hurley have pulled their new commercials after coming under attack for mocking environmental and political issues.
Online discount firm Groupon debuted the public service announcement-style
spots during the U.S. broadcast of the Super Bowl last weekend, when viewers saw Hutton make light of the plight of people in Tibet, Gooding, Jr. spoofing an appeal for help with endangered whales, and "Bedazzled" star Hurley comparing the loss of rainforests to a Brazilian bikini wax.
In Hutton's commercial, he said: "The people of Tibet are in trouble. Their very culture is in jeopardy. But they still whip up an amazing fish curry. And since 200 of us brought a Groupon.com, we got $30 of Tibetan food for $15 at Himalayan Restaurant in Chicago."
Groupon executives were criticized for greenlighting the ads, which were branded insensitive, and they decided to pull the campaign on Friday, February 11 in a bid to put a stop to the complaints. Company founder Andrew Mason apologized for causing offense in a blog post to customers, writing, "We hate that we offended people and we're very sorry that we did. We don't see the point in continuing to anger people."
Online discount firm Groupon debuted the public service announcement-style
spots during the U.S. broadcast of the Super Bowl last weekend, when viewers saw Hutton make light of the plight of people in Tibet, Gooding, Jr. spoofing an appeal for help with endangered whales, and "Bedazzled" star Hurley comparing the loss of rainforests to a Brazilian bikini wax.
In Hutton's commercial, he said: "The people of Tibet are in trouble. Their very culture is in jeopardy. But they still whip up an amazing fish curry. And since 200 of us brought a Groupon.com, we got $30 of Tibetan food for $15 at Himalayan Restaurant in Chicago."
Groupon executives were criticized for greenlighting the ads, which were branded insensitive, and they decided to pull the campaign on Friday, February 11 in a bid to put a stop to the complaints. Company founder Andrew Mason apologized for causing offense in a blog post to customers, writing, "We hate that we offended people and we're very sorry that we did. We don't see the point in continuing to anger people."