In the wake of a terrible event like the mass shooting in Las Vegas earlier this month, companies in particular can struggle with how to respond. For future reference, companies probably shouldn’t follow MGM Resorts’ path by releasing an ad that seems to be using the tragedy to highlight its many fabulous Las Vegas hotels. This comes from The Wrap, which shared a new commercial that MGM Resorts “hastily created” after a previous ad that came out before the shooting was deemed “too festive.”
The new ad features some Las Vegas imagery along with slogans about strength and unity like “Together We Shine” and “Together We Rise,” along with the MGM Resorts’ logo. If the previous commercial was “too festive,” then it seems like the problem here is that this one is simply too commercial. Naturally, MGM Resorts is getting slammed on social media, with people criticizing the organization for using the tragedy to get people to spend money. MGM Resorts doesn’t seem to have responded, and the ad is still live on YouTube, so it remains to be seen if it will do anything about the criticism.