# One Simple Rule for Advertising on 9/11 **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 12, 2013, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-simple-rule-for-advertising-on-9-11/668628 "2013-09-12T02:42:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2013, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-simple-rule-for-advertising-on-9-11/668628/1 "2013-09-12T02:42:57Z")
And that rule is: Don’t do it. As can be gleaned from [this story](http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2013/09/1-simple-rule-for-advertising-on-9-11/279580/) in _The Atlantic_. On the other hand, I for one appreciate them dying so I can drink free coffee for 30 minutes once a year. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2013, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-simple-rule-for-advertising-on-9-11/668628/2 "2013-09-12T02:48:02Z")
The golf course is called “Tumbledown.” I’m surprised they didn’t work that into their ad copy. Missed opportunity for sure. ---
**Author:** ![Werekoala](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/7993a0/32.png) [@Werekoala](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Werekoala)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2013, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-simple-rule-for-advertising-on-9-11/668628/3 "2013-09-12T03:44:05Z")
Could be worse, the major airlines could offer discounts on flights from Boston to LAX… ---
**Author:** ![drewtwo99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d07c76/32.png) [@drewtwo99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewtwo99)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2013, 7:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-simple-rule-for-advertising-on-9-11/668628/4 "2013-09-12T07:26:26Z")
> **[New Subway Promotion To Honor Subtember 11](https://www.theonion.com/new-subway-promotion-to-honor-subtember-11-1819575535)** > > MILFORD, CT—Citing a wide range of deals customers will “never forget,” fast food chain Subway announced an exciting new promotion this week to honor and commemorate Subtember 11. “With a number of terrific discounts on special sandwiches as well as... Posted without comment. ---
**Author:** ![lost4life](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c4cdca/32.png) [@lost4life](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lost4life)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2013, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-simple-rule-for-advertising-on-9-11/668628/5 "2013-09-12T13:09:28Z")
But…free mini muffins at the Marriott. Alas they did not die in vain. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2013, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-simple-rule-for-advertising-on-9-11/668628/6 "2013-09-12T15:52:31Z")
I’d give Marriott a pass. Building 3 was one of theirs. ---
**Author:** ![JerrySTL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e274bd/32.png) [@JerrySTL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JerrySTL)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2013, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-simple-rule-for-advertising-on-9-11/668628/7 "2013-09-12T16:01:56Z")
Give it a decade or two and we’ll be having “9/11 Sales”. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2013, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-simple-rule-for-advertising-on-9-11/668628/8 "2013-09-12T16:02:51Z")
> [@drewtwo99](#): > > [http://www.theonion.com/articles/new-subway-promotion-to-honor-subtember-11,33768/](http://www.theonion.com/articles/new-subway-promotion-to-honor-subtember-11,33768/) > > Posted without comment. > [@](#): > > “From the Structural Steel Melt on Tower 7–Grain bread to the Twin Chowers cold cut combo with Ground Zero–Carb vinaigrette on a Let’s Whole Wheat Roll, we’ve got something for everybody this Subtember 11.” DeLuca added that the special promotion will be “first responders, first served.” Only _The Onion_. ---
**Author:** ![Silver\_Fire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e4f/32.png) [@Silver\_Fire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silver_Fire)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2013, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-simple-rule-for-advertising-on-9-11/668628/9 "2013-09-12T21:33:24Z")
I don’t golf. Shouldn’t 18 holes be less expensive than 9 holes x 2, not more expensive? ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2013, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-simple-rule-for-advertising-on-9-11/668628/10 "2013-09-12T22:11:35Z")
Not for patriots. Not on this day. Never again. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2013, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-simple-rule-for-advertising-on-9-11/668628/11 "2013-09-13T04:07:58Z")
> [@Lute Skywatcher](#): > > I’d give Marriott a pass. Building 3 was one of theirs. Marriott … Aren’t they the people who in the 1980s got into a controversy because they had the refreshment concessions in major-league baseball stadiums and told the vendors in the stands they couldn’t stop and stand for the national anthem but instead had to keep on vending? ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2013, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-simple-rule-for-advertising-on-9-11/668628/12 "2013-09-13T17:51:23Z")
> [@drewtwo99](#): > > [http://www.theonion.com/articles/new-subway-promotion-to-honor-subtember-11,33768/](http://www.theonion.com/articles/new-subway-promotion-to-honor-subtember-11,33768/) Genius. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2013, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-simple-rule-for-advertising-on-9-11/668628/13 "2013-09-13T18:34:06Z")
> [@Lute Skywatcher](#): > > I’d give Marriott a pass. Building 3 was one of theirs. Actually, if anything, i think that makes it worse. ---
**Author:** ![sachertorte](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sachertorte/32/3727_2.png) [@sachertorte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sachertorte)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2013, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-simple-rule-for-advertising-on-9-11/668628/14 "2013-09-13T18:37:26Z")
The golf one is terrible. The picture one not nearly as bad. The coffee one seems like no big deal at all since it wasn’t even an ad. It looks like they just set up some coffee and put up a sign explaining why. At the very least, Marriott isn’t ‘cashing in.’ I truly doubt they expect more business because of the free coffee. The only thing I find weird about it is why 30 minutes? Why not just put out coffee all day or at least all morning? ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2013, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-simple-rule-for-advertising-on-9-11/668628/15 "2013-09-13T18:42:56Z")
> [@sachertorte](#): > > The coffee one seems like no big deal at all since it wasn’t even an ad. It looks like they just set up some coffee and put up a sign explaining why. At the very least, Marriott isn’t ‘cashing in.’ I truly doubt they expect more business because of the free coffee. > The only thing I find weird about it is why 30 minutes? Why not just put out coffee all day or at least all morning? Precisely. The Marriott one is bad not because it’s advertising, but because it’s so pathetic. I’m not a big fan of the whole 9/11 remembrance industry, and i see no need for those of us who didn’t suffer direct personal loss or trauma to get all caught up in it. But it seems to me that promotions like this manage to both memorialize it _and_ trivialize it at the same time. Free mini muffins for half an hour? Wow, you really went out of your way to show how important this is, didn’t you? ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2013, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-simple-rule-for-advertising-on-9-11/668628/16 "2013-09-13T19:06:51Z")
Marriott may have been going for “let’s observe a moment of silence - and there’s free coffee & muffins for those interested” but all we have is a picture of the free coffee & muffins part. ---
**Author:** ![AaronX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7bcc69/32.png) [@AaronX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AaronX)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2013, 7:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-simple-rule-for-advertising-on-9-11/668628/17 "2013-09-14T07:48:06Z")
Starbucks: Collapse into cool. > **[Starbucks' 'Collapse into Cool' Campaign](https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/collapse-into-cool/)** > > Starbucks recalled 'Collapse into Cool' promotional posters due to controversy over their alleged 9/11 imagery. ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2013, 10:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-simple-rule-for-advertising-on-9-11/668628/18 "2013-09-14T10:45:10Z")
Anyone else get any ironically appropriate “case in point” pop-up ads along with that article?