Technology Slice Blog

Groupon and Tibet - Groupon may not be making its initial public offering yet — but it has made its mark on millions watching the Super Bowl anyway. What isn’t clear yet is whether the red-hot startup has burned through a lot of good will. The company bought its first television ads for the big game, starting before kickoff, with one theme: “Save the Money.” All the commercials are premised on saving something endangered — and a few bucks to boot. There’s Cuba Gooding Jr. lamenting the fate of whales, while touting a 43 percent discount on a whale-watching boat ride. And there’s Elizabeth Hurley, intoning about the rapid deforestation of the Brazilian rainforest … followed by a note that “not all deforestation is bad,” like a 50 percent discount to a Brazilian wax in New York City. Perhaps most controversial of all is Timothy Hutton, deploring the troubles besetting Tibetan culture. Before tucking into a plate of discounted fish curry. Groupon and Tibet