# Great way to advertise vodka--Christmas Quality, Hannukah Pricing **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [November 23, 2011, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-way-to-advertise-vodka-christmas-quality-hannukah-pricing/603871 "2011-11-23T14:23:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![MeanOldLady](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanoldlady/32/10737_2.png) [@MeanOldLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanOldLady)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2011, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-way-to-advertise-vodka-christmas-quality-hannukah-pricing/603871/21 "2011-11-23T20:00:22Z")
> [@Kyrie\_Eleison](#): > > Seems unlikely. His explanation is more in keeping with the other ads in the campaign. Prostitutes: A hooker is a cheaper, lower quality prostitute than an escort. Actors: A reality-tv star is a cheaper, lower quality actor than a movie star. Places: Newark is a cheaper, lower quality place than the Hamptons. Right, Jews are cheaper. > [@](#): > > But I’m not buying that the intent necessarily was “Wink, wink, you know, Hannukah=Jews=cheapskates,” since it’s not in keeping with the rest of the ads. I am and think it is in keeping with the rest of their ads. It still made me laugh, though, but that’s because I’m a terrible person who hates Jews. ---
**Author:** ![MsRobyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/90ced4/32.png) [@MsRobyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsRobyn)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2011, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-way-to-advertise-vodka-christmas-quality-hannukah-pricing/603871/22 "2011-11-23T20:46:21Z")
> [@Kyrie\_Eleison](#): > > Seems unlikely. His explanation is more in keeping with the other ads in the campaign. Prostitutes: A hooker is a cheaper, lower quality prostitute than an escort. Actors: A reality-tv star is a cheaper, lower quality actor than a movie star. Places: Newark is a cheaper, lower quality place than the Hamptons. > > So why shouldn’t I buy his explanation? Holidays: Hannukah is a cheaper, lower quality holiday than Christmas. > > Tone deaf wit to be sure, but why shouldn’t I believe that this, like the other ads, was just drawing on a direct comparison of the two things mentioned? Then we can talk about whether calling Hannukah a cheaper, lower quality Christmas is itself offensive. But I’m not buying that the intent necessarily was “Wink, wink, you know, Hannukah=Jews=cheapskates,” since it’s not in keeping with the rest of the ads. I agree with you, but the mantra in public relations is that it’s not the intent, it’s the perception. The guy may have all the reason in the world for the billboard, but people will get butthurt about it, which is why you have the article in the OP. ---
**Author:** ![magellan01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@magellan01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/magellan01)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2011, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-way-to-advertise-vodka-christmas-quality-hannukah-pricing/603871/23 "2011-11-23T20:54:08Z")
> [@VinylTurnip](#): > > God, you’re a hopeless fucking moron. Well, the top slot just opened up, so I’d expect there’ll be some extra effort as the also-rans compete fill it. ---
**Author:** ![Kyrie\_Eleison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kyrie_eleison/32/7682_2.png) [@Kyrie\_Eleison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyrie_Eleison)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2011, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-way-to-advertise-vodka-christmas-quality-hannukah-pricing/603871/24 "2011-11-23T20:54:11Z")
> [@MeanOldLady](#): > > Right, Jews are cheaper. Cheap shot. You know I was using the word cheap in the sense of “less expensive,” rather than as a pejorative for frugal. Or are Newarkians, hookers, and reality tv stars also more frugal? > [@MsRobyn](#): > > The guy may have all the reason in the world for the billboard, but people will get butthurt about it, which is why you have the article in the OP. Yup, that’s what made it tone deaf. He should have seen that coming. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2011, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-way-to-advertise-vodka-christmas-quality-hannukah-pricing/603871/25 "2011-11-23T21:03:33Z")
> [@Kyrie\_Eleison](#): > > So why shouldn’t I buy his explanation? Holidays: Hannukah is a cheaper, lower quality holiday than Christmas. It’s not too hard to imagine why someone who thinks of Hannukah as an important religious observance would be offended by that characterization. If you are a strict materialist looking at only the associated loot, there’s not much to protest - but even as a disinterested atheist I think that Hannukah is a better “quality” holiday in that it is nowhere near as crass when it comes to its general observance. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2011, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-way-to-advertise-vodka-christmas-quality-hannukah-pricing/603871/26 "2011-11-23T21:21:12Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > Since this outfit’s previous ad campaigns referenced Newark and hookers to indicate how inexpensive their vodka is, following up with a Jewish holiday probably wasn’t exceptionally smart. :dubious: Yeah, that. I thought it was funny when I had only seen that one. When people started posting likes to the other ones, it began to deteriorate for me. ---
**Author:** ![Malthus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85f322/32.png) [@Malthus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malthus)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2011, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-way-to-advertise-vodka-christmas-quality-hannukah-pricing/603871/27 "2011-11-23T21:24:56Z")
> [@Kyrie\_Eleison](#): > > Seems unlikely. His explanation is more in keeping with the other ads in the campaign. Prostitutes: A hooker is a cheaper, lower quality prostitute than an escort. Actors: A reality-tv star is a cheaper, lower quality actor than a movie star. Places: Newark is a cheaper, lower quality place than the Hamptons. > > So why shouldn’t I buy his explanation? Holidays: Hannukah is a cheaper, lower quality holiday than Christmas. > > Tone deaf wit to be sure, but why shouldn’t I believe that this, like the other ads, was just drawing on a direct comparison of the two things mentioned? Then we can talk about whether calling Hannukah a cheaper, lower quality Christmas is itself offensive. But I’m not buying that the intent necessarily was “Wink, wink, you know, Hannukah=Jews=cheapskates,” since it’s not in keeping with the rest of the ads. I took it that the ad campaign was to use borderline (or maybe not so borderline) -offensive ads for humour value, like comparing his pricing to hookers. The Jews = cheap thing works with that. The Hannukah is the cheaper Xmas thing I took as ex post facto justification. Seems very unlikely to me that it would never occur to a Jewish exec that anyone would think the ad was a joke playing on Jews being cheap. I think that naturally he would think that, as would most folks, but that he thought it was attention-getting and did not care if it offended (indeed, offense is part of his strategy - would any of us have heard of this brand but for this ad?). Naturally, though, he can’t say that. ---
**Author:** ![Steophan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steophan/32/9595_2.png) [@Steophan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steophan)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2011, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-way-to-advertise-vodka-christmas-quality-hannukah-pricing/603871/28 "2011-11-23T23:16:06Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > I have to wonder about these ad execs that intentionally set out to insult an ethnic group. Do they start their meetings with “So how can we lose money for our clients?” They are getting shitloads of free advertising, and the demographic for cheap vodka will contain plenty of people who don’t give a fuck if someone got their knickers in a twist about a slightly off-colour joke. It’s a win all round. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2011, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-way-to-advertise-vodka-christmas-quality-hannukah-pricing/603871/29 "2011-11-23T23:59:03Z")
> [@MsRobyn](#): > > I know two things. First, the Anti-Defamation League needs to pull their panties out of their ass. It’s true that the ad was offensive, but c’mon. It was thoughtlessness, not malevolence. > > On the other hand, **BigT** isn’t thoughtless, he’s brainless. His post reflects logic so tortured that it would confess to just about anything. Oh, so it really makes more sense that a company that is actually trying to get people to buy stuff was intentionally trying to piss off their audience by appearing ethnocentric and racist? Yeah, I’m the moron. Oh, look, now that they’ve said something stupid, you’ve got people coming out with the conspiracy theories so they don’t feel like idiots: “They intended to piss people off to get more publicity.” Right. That’s why all their other campaigns fit the exact same model I gave. How dumb do you have to be to think malfeasance is more likely than incompetence? There aren’t enough :rolleyes: in the world. ---
**Author:** ![AClockworkMelon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aclockworkmelon/32/10803_2.png) [@AClockworkMelon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AClockworkMelon)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2011, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-way-to-advertise-vodka-christmas-quality-hannukah-pricing/603871/30 "2011-11-24T00:09:03Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > Oh, so it really makes more sense that a company that is actually trying to get people to buy stuff was intentionally trying to piss off their audience by appearing ethnocentric and racist? Yeah, I’m the moron. > > Oh, look, now that they’ve said something stupid, you’ve got people coming out with the conspiracy theories so they don’t feel like idiots: “They intended to piss people off to get more publicity.” Right. That’s why all their other campaigns fit the exact same model I gave. > > How dumb do you have to be to think malfeasance is more likely than incompetence? There aren’t enough :rolleyes: in the world. Because when someone says “All black people steal!” they aren’t actually making a point about a socioeconomic relationship between crime and poverty. The point of the joke was so obvious that the mental gymnastics you stupid fucks are going through makes me want to throw a knife party. I don’t give a fuck that their spokesperson is a Jew (like Jews never make the “Jesus saves but Moses invests!” joke?) and I don’t give a fuck that he tried to come up with some stupid innocent explanation for the joke to appease recreationally-raging yuppies- the kind of people that probably wouldn’t be buying Wodka to begin with. Considering your only experience with the outside world is through the internet you’d think you’d know a Jew joke when you see one. ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2011, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-way-to-advertise-vodka-christmas-quality-hannukah-pricing/603871/31 "2011-11-24T02:10:13Z")
> [@magellan01](#): > > Well, the top slot just opened up, so I’d expect there’ll be some extra effort as the also-rans compete fill it. I got excited because I thought **marc\_bolan** was gone, but it was just **gonzomax**. ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2011, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-way-to-advertise-vodka-christmas-quality-hannukah-pricing/603871/32 "2011-11-24T02:15:21Z")
> [@AClockworkMelon](#): > > Because when someone says “All black people steal!” they aren’t actually making a point about a socioeconomic relationship between crime and poverty. The point of the joke was so obvious that the mental gymnastics you stupid fucks are going through makes me want to throw a knife party. I don’t give a fuck that their spokesperson is a Jew (like Jews never make the “Jesus saves but Moses invests!” joke?) and I don’t give a fuck that he tried to come up with some stupid innocent explanation for the joke to appease recreationally-raging yuppies- the kind of people that probably wouldn’t be buying Wodka to begin with. Considering your only experience with the outside world is through the internet you’d think you’d know a Jew joke when you see one. Gracious, somebody’s a bit upset. As in most of these what-were-the-ad-execs-thinking threads, ISTM that the detailed analysis of the underlying motivations at play here is to some extent speculative, and is something on which reasonable people can reasonably differ. ---
**Author:** ![AClockworkMelon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aclockworkmelon/32/10803_2.png) [@AClockworkMelon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AClockworkMelon)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2011, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-way-to-advertise-vodka-christmas-quality-hannukah-pricing/603871/33 "2011-11-24T02:37:40Z")
I’m pissed about shit that’s going on in real life at the moment. Shouldn’t post under the influence of rage. I’m sorry **BigT**. I still think it’s really fucking obvious what the joke is, though. ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2011, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-way-to-advertise-vodka-christmas-quality-hannukah-pricing/603871/34 "2011-11-24T02:58:50Z")
Sorry to hear it **ACM**. Have some vodka? \ ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2011, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-way-to-advertise-vodka-christmas-quality-hannukah-pricing/603871/35 "2011-11-24T03:42:36Z")
No, have some Wodka! ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2011, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-way-to-advertise-vodka-christmas-quality-hannukah-pricing/603871/36 "2011-11-24T04:00:20Z")
> [@Kimstu](#): > > something on which reasonable people can reasonably differ. How long have you been posting on the 'Dope? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2011, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-way-to-advertise-vodka-christmas-quality-hannukah-pricing/603871/37 "2011-11-24T04:02:06Z")
> [@Freudian\_Slit](#): > > No, have some Wodka! Well, if it is Christmas quality at Easter prices…Oh, wait… ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2011, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-way-to-advertise-vodka-christmas-quality-hannukah-pricing/603871/38 "2011-11-24T04:07:46Z")
> [@Freudian\_Slit](#): > > No, have some Wodka! Oy vey. Such a small glass, at these prices! ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2011, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-way-to-advertise-vodka-christmas-quality-hannukah-pricing/603871/39 "2011-11-24T04:13:16Z")
I am trying very hard not to post the joke to which the punch line is “Oye, I was so thirsty!” ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2011, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-way-to-advertise-vodka-christmas-quality-hannukah-pricing/603871/40 "2011-11-24T04:16:35Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > It just seems to me like they were thinking one thing, while communicating another. They were probably thinking about how Chanukah is a relatively small Jewish holiday and involves eight small gifts, while Christmas is a rather large holiday for Christians and tends to involve much larger gifts. I’d be seriously surprised if any member of the advertising team knew anything about the relative size of Hannukah vs we-don’t-really-understand-Christmas gifts… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-way-to-advertise-vodka-christmas-quality-hannukah-pricing/603871.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-way-to-advertise-vodka-christmas-quality-hannukah-pricing/603871.md?page=3)