This Horribly Insensitive Marketing Campaign Is Everything Marketing Shouldn’t Be

By Catherine Clifford • Sep 23, 2014

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Cutthroat is one thing. Disgraceful is another.

Last week, after a man was found dead in the parking lot of Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport, the airport parking reservation and deals website AirportParkingReservations.com used the death as an opportunity for convincing customers to use its service.

The company sent out an email to its customers with a coupon for $5 off and the warning “Don’t be late and end up in a crate. Save stress and possibly anything worse by utilizing technology and reserving all your travel needs in advance,” the email said. The subject line was “Can On-Airport Parking Kill?”

Unsurprisingly, customers were offended. As they should be. There’s a line, and professionals should know better. Nah, humans should know better.

After being called out for sending the promotional email, AirportParkingReservations.com was apologetic both on Twitter and via email — but it’s appalling that they would think to cross the line to begin with.

Got a promotional email from @airport_parking which is using a man’s death as promo material. Extremely offended pic.twitter.com/rgCqjz6IHv
— Chris Britton (@iamchrisbritton) September 22, 2014

@iamchrisbritton We sincerely apologize about this mistake and can only extend our apologies to you and all those offended.
— Airport Parking (@airport_parking) September 22, 2014

@airport_parking @myfoxchicago Your comment “Don’t be late and end up in a crate”, to sell parking on back of dead man at Ohare is horrible
— Mark Carroll (@markcarrollnow) September 22, 2014

@markcarrollnow We sincerely apologize about this mistake and can only extend our apologies to you and all those offended.
— Airport Parking (@airport_parking) September 22, 2014

Glad I wasn’t the only one to take @airport_parking to task over their tasteless email this morning. #marketing pic.twitter.com/WP1xDVVLUy
— Caitlin Childs (@nerdcoregirl) September 22, 2014

@nerdcoregirl What the holy WTF. @airport_parking
— Scott Starr (@awaltzforvenus) September 22, 2014

@awaltzforvenus @airport_parking my thoughts exactly. I am so ashamed to work in marketing when people like this are out there too.
— Caitlin Childs (@nerdcoregirl) September 22, 2014

@nerdcoregirl @awaltzforvenus We sincerely apologize about this mistake and can only extend our apologies to you and all those offended.
— Airport Parking (@airport_parking) September 22, 2014