Just two weeks after daily deals company Groupon drew the ire of an anti-porn group for their porn studio tour offer, they are back, pissing off the same group again with a recent Playboy-themed offer.
Earlier in April, Groupon offered a deal to tour a San Francisco armory, which is actually a 200,000 sq. ft. reproduction of an old Moorish castle. Among the many uses of the castle, the one that stuck out was its use as a porn studio for Kink films (described as “torture” porn by some, BDSM by others). This triggered a boycott sponsored by anti-porn activists Morality in Media. You can see MIM’s executive director Dawn Hawkins talking about it below:
Now, MIM has another Groupon deal to add to their boycott. Yesterday, Groupon offered a “Rock n’ Roll Fantasy Camp” trip to the Playboy mansion – complete with an appearance from Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler. The package cost $800 and included a concert as well as time hanging out with the Playboy bunnies. Check it out here via Google cache.
As VIPs disembark from their shuttle, they’ll be beckoned by tour guides through the glamorous, stone-clad grounds to take a swim in the legendary grotto, check out exotic animals in the zoo, and try to figure out which of the six Playboy Bunnies in attendance has real fluffy ears. Guests can expect to mingle with TV personalities, pro athletes, and other celebs into the wee hours or until their entourages turn back into enchanted mice. Rock star glam, dress to impress.
Do you think that sounds like fun? MIM’s “Porn Harms” campaign definitely does not. Here’s how they amended their boycott petition:
It is clear that Groupon’s motto is right in line with the pornographers they promote and defend. Playboy’s “it’s a man’s world” philosophy amounts to “use them, abuse them, and discard them.”
Hawkins suggested to WND that Groupon’s lack of female representation up top might have something to do with what she calls Groupon’s inability to “end its support of the sexual exploitation of women and girls.”
Hawkins said that while trying to find the names of some women from Groupon’s senior management team, she discovered that there weren’t any.
“Perhaps that explains why the company is so insensitive to the sexual exploitation of women and girls,” she told WND.
Of course, porn-related deals aren’t the only kind getting Groupon into hot water. In March, an offer for 58% off a Jeffrey Dahmer tour sparked quite a bit of controversy.
I’m not sure that a Steven Tyler concert at the Playboy mansion amounts to supporting the sexual exploitation of women, but apparently some anti-porn activist are pretty convinced. What do you think? Should Groupon be a little more selective on some of the daily deals they offer? Or should groups like MIM lighten up a bit? Let us know what you think in the comments.