# This is way, way beyond bad taste **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [May 19, 2004, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-way-way-beyond-bad-taste/246059 "2004-05-19T23:36:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Unauthorized\_Cinnamon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/bc8723/32.png) [@Unauthorized\_Cinnamon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Unauthorized_Cinnamon)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2004, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-way-way-beyond-bad-taste/246059/1 "2004-05-19T23:36:39Z")
So I’m driving around in my car, listening to the radio, and a guy comes on and says that a local business is “under seige,” and that he’s in communication with an employee who’s hiding under his desk with a cell phone. He’s hiding because another employee is “on a rampage.” We’ve all heard similar stories from around the country. Disgruntled employees come to work and shoot random people - it’s unfortunately been known to happen. But it is kind of shocking to hear it happening in your own community in real time. Even more shocking when they reveal that the rampaging employee is “Mark Down,” who is absolutely slashing prices on new Ford cars and trucks. What sociopath thought this up? “We want people to come buy cars . . . we should grab their attention, and use some humor. Hey, what’s funnier than someone murdering all his coworkers?” Maybe they’ll follow it up with a wacky reference to Columbine! I’m sorry, this is a lame rant, because I’m just at a loss for words. To top it all off, I’m not sure which dealership made the ad (so it’s not even an effective grotesque and offensive ad). If I hear it again, I think I’ll call them. ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2004, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-way-way-beyond-bad-taste/246059/2 "2004-05-20T00:42:09Z")
That is freaking hilarious. Sorry, the actual ad may have been worse than how you describe it but just from what you said I was laughing out loud. “Look out! It’s Mark Down!” ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2004, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-way-way-beyond-bad-taste/246059/3 "2004-05-20T00:49:45Z")
Yeah, that’s freakin’ hilarious, just like intestinal cancer. ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2004, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-way-way-beyond-bad-taste/246059/4 "2004-05-20T00:59:40Z")
> [@featherlou](#): > > Yeah, that’s freakin’ hilarious, just like intestinal cancer. My grandfather recently died of intestinal cancer. If you can compare this and that you’re pretty messed up. ---
**Author:** ![Creative\_Munster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/919ad9/32.png) [@Creative\_Munster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Creative_Munster)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2004, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-way-way-beyond-bad-taste/246059/5 "2004-05-20T01:02:08Z")
That ad was in bad taste. I will never buy a Mercedes from those bastards. ---
**Author:** ![Nightwatch\_Trailer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/9dc877/32.png) [@Nightwatch\_Trailer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nightwatch_Trailer)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2004, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-way-way-beyond-bad-taste/246059/6 "2004-05-20T01:03:08Z")
**AerynSun** , can you give some more details? How long was the ruse sustained? What did the guy on the phone sound like - scared, out of breath, stoic? If there were no clues that the ad was such, then yes, this was in poor taste. How is someone supposed to distinguish this from a real distress call? I think you’d definitely be justified in calling them to complain. In another medium (TV) this could be effective (I mean, “Mark Down” is pretty funny), as the audience would presumably be able to tell it’s not for real. But as a radio advertisement? Uh, no. ---
**Author:** ![shelbo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3d9bf3/32.png) [@shelbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shelbo)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2004, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-way-way-beyond-bad-taste/246059/7 "2004-05-20T01:03:54Z")
> [@Cisco](#): > > My grandfather recently died of intestinal cancer. If you can compare this and that you’re pretty messed up. And a lot of people have died at the hands of disgruntled employees with guns. Seems to be a pretty easy comparison to me. ---
**Author:** ![MysteryFellow63427](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e4f/32.png) [@MysteryFellow63427](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MysteryFellow63427)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2004, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-way-way-beyond-bad-taste/246059/8 "2004-05-20T01:03:56Z")
> [@Cisco](#): > > That is freaking hilarious. Sorry, the actual ad may have been worse than how you describe it but just from what you said I was laughing out loud. > > “Look out! It’s Mark Down!” I have to confess I was laughing at well. I could see how it might be in poor taste though. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2004, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-way-way-beyond-bad-taste/246059/9 "2004-05-20T01:26:35Z")
Next thing y’all know, some damnfool will get on the ray-dee-oh, and say we un’s been in-vaded by Martians… This Hillybilly jabber brought to you courtesy of Abner Yokum. 😉😃 ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2004, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-way-way-beyond-bad-taste/246059/10 "2004-05-20T01:31:50Z")
> [@Bosda Di'Chi of Tricor](#): > > Next thing y’all know, some damnfool will get on the ray-dee-oh, and say we un’s been in-vaded by Martians… > > 😉😃 Those are my thoughts exactly. I haven’t heard the commercial but I can’t imagine not knowing right away that this was a joke and / or a commercial. I mean, who panics and says “holy shit I gotta call the radio station!” ---
**Author:** ![Unauthorized\_Cinnamon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/bc8723/32.png) [@Unauthorized\_Cinnamon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Unauthorized_Cinnamon)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2004, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-way-way-beyond-bad-taste/246059/11 "2004-05-20T02:10:39Z")
To be honest, I structured my OP for dramatic effect. In reality, it was more like, I was driving and concentrating on other things, and half listening, and by the time I started thinking to myself, “What the hell is going on?” it became clear. But my point is not that it is deceptive, rather that it is really scuzzy to use such a reference as a joke to sell cars. There would be plenty of ways to use the character of “Mark Down” without making it sound like he was shooting coworkers in the head. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2004, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-way-way-beyond-bad-taste/246059/12 "2004-05-20T04:08:14Z")
> [@Cisco](#): > > My grandfather recently died of intestinal cancer. If you can compare this and that you’re pretty messed up. So you’re saying you wouldn’t find an ad parodying intestinal cancer hilarious? I guess some things are serious to the people personally involved in them and maybe shouldn’t be used as fodder for a cheesy radio ad. ---
**Author:** ![keturah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e95f7d/32.png) [@keturah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/keturah)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2004, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-way-way-beyond-bad-taste/246059/13 "2004-05-20T04:16:29Z")
> [@AerynSun](#): > > To be honest, I structured my OP for dramatic effect. In reality, it was more like, I was driving and concentrating on other things, and half listening, and by the time I started thinking to myself, “What the hell is going on?” it became clear. > > But my point is not that it is deceptive, rather that it is really scuzzy to use such a reference as a joke to sell cars. > > There would be plenty of ways to use the character of “Mark Down” without making it sound like he was shooting coworkers in the head. The ad company who wrote the bit structured it for dramatic effect. In reality they knew you would be driving and concentrating on other things, and half listening. When you started to think, you thought the ploy was scuzzy—but you heard it. Isn’t that the idea of ad campaigns these days? ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2004, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-way-way-beyond-bad-taste/246059/14 "2004-05-20T04:32:01Z")
> [@featherlou](#): > > So you’re saying you wouldn’t find an ad parodying intestinal cancer hilarious? I don’t know, it depends. It would have to be _reeeeally_ funny. “Mark Down” is up there though. ---
**Author:** ![Enderw24](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ba9def/32.png) [@Enderw24](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enderw24)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2004, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-way-way-beyond-bad-taste/246059/15 "2004-05-20T04:38:28Z")
I think the ad is unfathomably cruel. My sister was killed by Walmart’s falling prices. The weight of the savings just snapped her vertebrae in two. I’m sorry, this is just too painful to type. Thank you, AerynSun, for reopening wounds with this rant. ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2004, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-way-way-beyond-bad-taste/246059/16 "2004-05-20T04:48:18Z")
> [@Enderw24](#): > > I think the ad is unfathomably cruel. My sister was killed by Walmart’s falling prices. The weight of the savings just snapped her vertebrae in two. > > I’m sorry, this is just too painful to type. Thank you, AerynSun, for reopening wounds with this rant. Jesus, stop it. I’m already sitting here, alone in front of my computer, laughing like a raving lunatic at Mark Down, and you have to add this shit. I’m favorite placing this thread. Eternal worship to anyone that can find audio of the commercial. ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2004, 9:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-way-way-beyond-bad-taste/246059/17 "2004-05-20T09:44:59Z")
Fuck I just woke my girlfriend up. I came back here to read the OP again and I was laughing so hard I woke her up. I have tears pouring down my face. Jesus I rarely ever think anything is _this_ funny. I don’t know what the hell is going on here, I can’t control myself. I’m seriously thinking of changing my username to Mark Down. Fuck I almost just fell over in my chair trying to type that. Mark Down. ---
**Author:** ![Walkabout](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/46a35a/32.png) [@Walkabout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walkabout)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2004, 12:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-way-way-beyond-bad-taste/246059/18 "2004-05-20T12:36:40Z")
I’ve heard that ad, and yeah, that’s a pretty lame rant. There’s nothing in there about “Mark Down” shooting people, it’s more like he’s on a rampage of slashing prices. I can’t see how anyone would think it was real. This is one of a looong series of ads from that dealership, all featuring “Mark Down” and his price-slashing compulsions. Lighten up, people. ---
**Author:** ![Exgineer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a88e4f/32.png) [@Exgineer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exgineer)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2004, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-way-way-beyond-bad-taste/246059/19 "2004-05-20T12:57:33Z")
I’m with **Cisco** on this one too. Just the description in the OP had me laughing like and idiot. **Ender** didn’t help matters, either. I think some of you are overly sensitive. ---
**Author:** ![Unauthorized\_Cinnamon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/bc8723/32.png) [@Unauthorized\_Cinnamon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Unauthorized_Cinnamon)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2004, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-way-way-beyond-bad-taste/246059/20 "2004-05-20T13:23:02Z")
> [@Enderw24](#): > > I think the ad is unfathomably cruel. My sister was killed by Walmart’s falling prices. The weight of the savings just snapped her vertebrae in two. > > I’m sorry, this is just too painful to type. Thank you, AerynSun, for reopening wounds with this rant. I still think the original ad is beyond tacky, but this made me snarf my soda. Come to think of it, it wouldn’t bother me if Mark Down took a shotgun to that Wal-Mart happy face. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-way-way-beyond-bad-taste/246059.md?page=2)