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

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.

Related: Malaysia Airlines Scraps Ill-Conceived 'Bucket List' Promotion

For Subscribers

FOR SUBSCRIBERSCBP leaders cut out of Trump ad buy decision

FOR SUBSCRIBERSAmerican passenger drafted goodbye texts to her family as Flydubai plane plummeted

FOR SUBSCRIBERSCornell rape allegation pushes embattled New York prosecutor into national spotlight

FOR SUBSCRIBERSAbdul El-Sayed tries to woo MAHA voters as Democrats seek inroads with RFK’s supporters

FOR SUBSCRIBERSKratom-like substances are popping up in a typically benign supplement

FOR SUBSCRIBERSGOP super PAC increases its spending for Sen. Jon Husted in tough Ohio race

FOR SUBSCRIBERSRecords reveal tumultuous marriage between slain New York Times executive and wife

FOR SUBSCRIBERSFrom clean energy warrior to ‘wall of shame,’ James Talarico reverses on a fossil fuel money pledge

FOR SUBSCRIBERSCongressional staff planned official trip with luxury stops in Italy and France weeks before election

FOR SUBSCRIBERSA harrowing ordeal aboard an Israel-bound plane

FOR SUBSCRIBERSOpenAI CEO Sam Altman to skip congressional hearing on rogue AI agents

FOR SUBSCRIBERSKey DOJ lawyers departed Trump ‘grand conspiracy’ probe amid pressure to produce, source says

FOR SUBSCRIBERSTrump’s new AI chatbot often links to a site launched under Clinton 26 years ago

FOR SUBSCRIBERSAt MAHA summit, industry CEOs the movement once vilified take the stage

FOR SUBSCRIBERSThis Paralympian has two goals: Win medals and give away $500,000 to her teammates

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.

For Subscribers

FOR SUBSCRIBERSCBP leaders cut out of Trump ad buy decision

FOR SUBSCRIBERSAmerican passenger drafted goodbye texts to her family as Flydubai plane plummeted

FOR SUBSCRIBERSCornell rape allegation pushes embattled New York prosecutor into national spotlight

FOR SUBSCRIBERSAbdul El-Sayed tries to woo MAHA voters as Democrats seek inroads with RFK’s supporters

FOR SUBSCRIBERSKratom-like substances are popping up in a typically benign supplement

FOR SUBSCRIBERSGOP super PAC increases its spending for Sen. Jon Husted in tough Ohio race

FOR SUBSCRIBERSRecords reveal tumultuous marriage between slain New York Times executive and wife

FOR SUBSCRIBERSFrom clean energy warrior to ‘wall of shame,’ James Talarico reverses on a fossil fuel money pledge

FOR SUBSCRIBERSCongressional staff planned official trip with luxury stops in Italy and France weeks before election

FOR SUBSCRIBERSA harrowing ordeal aboard an Israel-bound plane

FOR SUBSCRIBERSOpenAI CEO Sam Altman to skip congressional hearing on rogue AI agents

FOR SUBSCRIBERSKey DOJ lawyers departed Trump ‘grand conspiracy’ probe amid pressure to produce, source says

FOR SUBSCRIBERSTrump’s new AI chatbot often links to a site launched under Clinton 26 years ago

FOR SUBSCRIBERSAt MAHA summit, industry CEOs the movement once vilified take the stage

FOR SUBSCRIBERSThis Paralympian has two goals: Win medals and give away $500,000 to her teammates

Related: Golf Company's $1.5 Million Giveaway Far From a Hole in One

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

September 22, 2014

@iamchrisbritton We sincerely apologize about this mistake and can only extend our apologies to you and all those offended.

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

September 22, 2014

@markcarrollnow We sincerely apologize about this mistake and can only extend our apologies to you and all those offended.

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

September 22, 2014

@nerdcoregirl What the holy WTF. @airport_parking

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.

September 22, 2014

@nerdcoregirl @awaltzforvenus We sincerely apologize about this mistake and can only extend our apologies to you and all those offended.

September 22, 2014