# An unfortunate advertisement from AmEx **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [January 25, 2012, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-unfortunate-advertisement-from-amex/610623 "2012-01-25T18:42:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2012, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-unfortunate-advertisement-from-amex/610623/1 "2012-01-25T18:42:54Z")
Apparently this ad was green-lighted weeks ago and was too far along to be stopped, but a Washington Post columnist just [received](http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/blogpost/post/costa-concordia-cruises-american-express-offer-immerse-yourself/2012/01/25/gIQAnntJQQ_blog.html) an AmEx offer for a discount on a Mediterranean cruise from Costa, with the tagline, “Immerse Yourself.” ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2012, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-unfortunate-advertisement-from-amex/610623/2 "2012-01-25T19:07:30Z")
Let me give you a little tip about that cruise… ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2012, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-unfortunate-advertisement-from-amex/610623/3 "2012-01-25T21:55:50Z")
I have a sinking feeling about this… But seriously, during the ‘six to eight weeks’ the brochure took to go from the creative director, to the printer, to the fulfillment house, to the post office, there was no point where AmEx could have called up and said, “Stop everything!” ---
**Author:** ![cjepson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a9adbd/32.png) [@cjepson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cjepson)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2012, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-unfortunate-advertisement-from-amex/610623/4 "2012-01-25T22:03:04Z")
As far as unfortunate ads go, this is pretty high on the list. But hey, to be successful in advertising, you’ve got to have an angle. ---
**Author:** ![Enderw24](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ba9def/32.png) [@Enderw24](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enderw24)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2012, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-unfortunate-advertisement-from-amex/610623/5 "2012-01-25T22:36:49Z")
> [@Tom\_Tildrum](#): > > Apparently this ad was green-lighted weeks ago and was too far along to be stopped" What, did the printer trip and have them fall into a mailbox? ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2012, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-unfortunate-advertisement-from-amex/610623/6 "2012-01-25T23:09:46Z")
> [@Enderw24](#): > > What, did the printer trip and have them fall into a mailbox? No, the orders to rescind the ad was sunk in a boat while being delivered by sea ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2012, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-unfortunate-advertisement-from-amex/610623/7 "2012-01-26T00:49:36Z")
Should be a helluva discount now. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2012, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-unfortunate-advertisement-from-amex/610623/8 "2012-01-26T00:58:13Z")
Let’s not go overboard. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2012, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-unfortunate-advertisement-from-amex/610623/9 "2012-01-26T03:08:27Z")
You’re really not being fair to the first 2 hours and 44 minutes. ---
**Author:** ![Encinitas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@Encinitas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Encinitas)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2012, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-unfortunate-advertisement-from-amex/610623/10 "2012-01-26T21:42:45Z")
> [@cjepson](#): > > But hey, to be successful in advertising, you’ve got to have an **angle**. Nearly 90° I’d say. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2012, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-unfortunate-advertisement-from-amex/610623/11 "2012-01-26T22:01:40Z")
They’re just delivering on their promises. You guys who are complaining are all wet. ---
**Author:** ![Finagle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@Finagle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Finagle)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2012, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-unfortunate-advertisement-from-amex/610623/12 "2012-01-26T23:03:54Z")
> [@Sunspace](#): > > I have a sinking feeling about this… > > But seriously, during the ‘six to eight weeks’ the brochure took to go from the creative director, to the printer, to the fulfillment house, to the post office, there was no point where AmEx could have called up and said, “Stop everything!” Too many sunk costs. ---
**Author:** ![Finally](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/67e7ee/32.png) [@Finally](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Finally)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2012, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-unfortunate-advertisement-from-amex/610623/13 "2012-01-27T00:20:04Z")
And this, Ladies and Gentlemen, is why I love the Dope. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2012, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-unfortunate-advertisement-from-amex/610623/14 "2012-01-27T00:31:48Z")
From the ad copy and commentary: > [@](#): > > The cruise does sound nice, though. Passengers can relax in the dazzling casino, savor a gourmet spa menu, indulge in a Turkish steam bath or “just linger on a spacious teak sun deck and savor la dolce vita.” > > Don’t linger too long, though. The lifeboats are waiting. That’s called the “European Experience.” ---
**Author:** ![Lukeinva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lukeinva/32/17872_2.png) [@Lukeinva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lukeinva)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2012, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-unfortunate-advertisement-from-amex/610623/15 "2012-01-27T00:38:53Z")
They have reached new depths. ---
**Author:** ![cjepson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a9adbd/32.png) [@cjepson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cjepson)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2012, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-unfortunate-advertisement-from-amex/610623/16 "2012-01-27T00:41:43Z")
> [@Finally](#): > > And this, Ladies and Gentlemen, is why I love the Dope. Yes, we are going full tilt on this one, aren’t we? ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2012, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-unfortunate-advertisement-from-amex/610623/17 "2012-01-27T00:57:59Z")
> [@cjepson](#): > > Yes, we are going full tilt on this one, aren’t we? It certainly does put a different slant on things, you bet. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2012, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-unfortunate-advertisement-from-amex/610623/18 "2012-01-27T01:19:10Z")
This reminds me of the ads I saw on walls in Toronto: “There is no such thing as ‘bus rage’ - Greyhound” …the week that that nut _beheaded_ a guy on an intercity bus in Saskatchewan. Granted, they were already up when the beheading happened… but _still_… ---
**Author:** ![Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/malleus_incus_stapes/32/3293_2.png) [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malleus_Incus_Stapes)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2012, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-unfortunate-advertisement-from-amex/610623/19 "2012-01-27T14:50:49Z")
“You know how the Titanic sank exactly one hundred years ago? Well the boat industry has learned from its mistakes. God Himself _really_ couldn’t sink this ship.” ---
**Author:** ![cjepson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a9adbd/32.png) [@cjepson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cjepson)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2012, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-unfortunate-advertisement-from-amex/610623/20 "2012-01-27T15:32:07Z")
> [@Musicat](#): > > It certainly does put a different slant on things, you bet. I’m inclined to agree with you. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-unfortunate-advertisement-from-amex/610623.md?page=2)