Credit: Twitter
Anyone with a Twitter login has likely noticed an interesting sickening trend today: brands using 9/11 to hype their products. Social media is just awash with calls that companies are "never forgetting" and "always honoring" those tragically lost 13 years ago.
And it's appalling.
Because here's the thing: us humans? We are sentient beings, capable of feeling emotions. We should feel sad today. We should honor the fallen. We should never forget those lost. But brands? Corporations? Not sentient beings; unable to feel emotions. Thus any attempt to manipulate those of us who are capable of emoting, well—it evokes strong feelings of disgust and anger. Co-opting one of our nation's greatest tragedies to curry capitalism borne of people's intense grief and pain is not in any way OK.
What do we mean? Here are a few examples. Prepare to cringe.
Nice "Perkins" flag flying oh-so-delicately beneath the American one. 100% class, bros:
The flag theme was actually a pretty big one. Harley-Davidson got on board with it. You'll note how they managed to squeeze their emblem in the corner, too:
That Medieval Times manipulated and utilized a picture from their own venue makes them pretty odious:
And under the totally miscellaneous category (seriously, Huggies?):
Thank you, Skechers, for your remembrance; we're all buoyed by your corporation's elephant-like memory:
White Castle, we can't even.
Even the Fleshlight is getting in on the action:
By far, however, the most noxious tweets were those who offered 9/11-related discounts. We're not shitting you:
Probably the worst we tracked down:
The tweet was in such poor taste, the yoga studio was forced to issue an apology tweet:
Really, though? Really? What the hell is wrong with people . . . and by "people," of course, we mean brands? Has the Internet so disconnected us from our capacity to recognize and respect each other's suffering that company marketers are not only tweeting about 9/11 but even exerting the effort of doctoring photos to insert their brands onto blatant reminders of a terrorist attack?
People: Please support and respect each other on this tough day as we all remember and grieve a national tragedy. Brands: You'd do better to #NeverForget that co-opting a mass loss of life is crass, disrespectful, painful and gross.
