Monday, September 12, 2011

Selling Terror

I did my best to avoid media coverage of 9/11 over the weekend for personal reasons.  Unfortunately, I also wanted to watch football.  The honoring that occurred on the field and whatnot was fine and dignified.  It's the commercials from giant corporations pretending to care that bothered me.  Specifically, Verizon and Budweiser. 

Who would've thunk that ten years later beer and cell phones would be utilizing one of the darkest days in our country's history to sell their product.  Actually, I expect that kind of behavior from beer.  But cell phones?! Shame on you.

If you thought for one moment those were truly sincere "messages" from our dear friends at Budweiser and Verizon you are sadly naive.  Those spots were created by advertising departments and were in fact COMMERCIALS. 

Like I wasn't bombarded enough with vivid reminders of how terrible that day was for those of us living in New York and DC on that day, I have to watch HORSES BOW and say to myself, "Wow, Budweiser cares...  Somebody hold my legs while I do a keg stand!"  I guess the fine people at Budweiser and Verizon figured, "Heck, Bush used it to win a presidency... might as well see if we can use it to sell some phones."  Disgusting.

Want to show how much you really care, giant corporations?  Instead of buying time slots during NFL games and spending money to create those lavish commercials, why not give that money to someone hurt by 9/11.  Give it to a kid who lost his dad.  Give it to a husband who lost his wife.  Someone's daughter died that day at the hands of terrorists... Bowing horses?!  Come on.

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