LordMarv

Check out the post in General Cycling Discussion. Sickening. What a bunch of superficial losers.

TrojanHorse

Dupe, it's also on this forum: https://www.bikeforums.net/clydesdale...boombotix.html

And besides making a product that 99% of people not riding fixies HATES... they're losers.

Cycle Babble

Does anyone besides me wonder who was responsible for writing the bad commercial spot in the first place? I understand that a company should have had more sense than to approve this for the market, but I was curious as to what ad firm or person wrote the piece.

Thanks,
John

TrojanHorse

Odds are strong that it was one of the hip young hipsters that works at that hip, fixie riding establishment. More money than sense.

ill.clyde

They said it was done in house, and blamed it on the fact that they have a "small marketing team."

They've apologized, but to me, both the original and follow up apology rang hollow. It's clear what they were trying to do. Something like that doesn't just "slip by" a small marketing team (I work in marketing, on a small team). They're just a "bunch of bros" trying to make a buck, likely with no corporate or marketing experience, who saw the picture and though, OMG FUNNY FAT GUY ON A BIKE! and then ran with it.

I never heard of them before ... ideally we'll never hear from them again.

tjax

I wouldn't mind seeing them go...

Cyclosaurus

My reaction to the latest apology was that the company seemed to get the gravity of what they did and were sincere about making it right. It does seem like a lot of people still feel like it wasn't sincere and their offense was sufficiently bad that they shouldn't be forgiven. While I thought the ad offensive, I also wasn't hurt by it the way someone who does struggle with weight would. Perhaps that is the difference. I'd accept it if people who felt targeted by the ad said that it really was that hurtful that the company is beyond forgiveness.

ill.clyde

That's kind of what I said in my post in the other thread about this ... as a big guy, meh ... it doesn't bother me much, but I feel it could be seriously detrimental to someone who is really struggling and turns to cycling as a means to get healthy. And as cyclists I think it should bother all of us in that regard.

That said, if they had truly considered the gravity of it, maybe they could have made their first apology a little more sincere.

Beachgrad05

There was a similar stink with Self magazine over a photo of a woman running in a Tutu. Bad enough they referred to her as lame in a magazine designed to empower and support other women...and if a woman is out running and getting fit...getting stronger...that should not be ridiculed. Compounding the issue...the woman in question 1. Is a cancer patient and was running while on chemo in the photo they ridiculed and 2. the tutu's were part of a business that raises money to help girls. Her company Glam Runners makes them and donates the money to Girls on the Run, a charity that sponsors exercise and confidence-building programs for young girls.

Whether or not she had cancer is not the issue...it was offensive regardless of that. That was just icing on the cake.

Their FB page was BLOWN UP by people angry about it.

Source: Magazine Makes Fun of Cancer Survivor's Tutu | NBC 7 San Diego
Follow us: @nbcchicago on Twitter | nbcchicago on Facebook

Article on the initial blowup: Magazine Makes Fun of Cancer Survivor's Tutu | NBC Chicago

TrojanHorse

I saw that - talk about an epic disaster! And from a fairly mainstream publication THAT SHOULD KNOW BETTER! How on earth did they think that story would end? They claim they didn't know she was a cancer patient but why is that even important?

Why is it acceptable to use your public forum to mock people these days?

ill.clyde

And why do companies think the "oops" apology makes it all better? As a society we should make a stand and say, "no more." But not enough people GAF to make that happen.

Beachgrad05

I read today that some heads rolled tho the magazine owner/publisher is claiming other reasons:

Lucy Danziger Out in 'Self' Magazine Shakeup | Hollywood Reporter

And exactly....most folks were angry at their apology which seemed more aimed at "oops we didn't know she had cancer" as if making fun of her would be ok if she was not dealing with cancer. Could not be more wrong.

TrojanHorse

At least there seems to have been a consequence. I don't think their claim that they were intending to mock people who thought tutus were "performance enhancing" holds any water at all either. Marathons are (sort of) a fun, social event for some people.

Cyclosaurus

These days? We're just much more aware of it these days. There's nothing today that rivals levels of racism, misogyny, fat-shaming, etc. that the "mad men" of former years got away with. But because society was so much more racist, sexist, etc, it was much more tolerated.

TrojanHorse

Interesting point!

Of course, the other factor is the immediacy of communication - somebody gripes today and everybody else sees it and can pile on.