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‘Uber’ app uses Boston Marathon bombing anniversary as marketing promotion

The Uber car service is facing a lawsuit in Washington state due to questions about its regulatory compliance and liability. Vinita Nair reports on the growing nationwide battle.

Here we go again …. companies trying to cash in on yet another devastating tragedy.

Uber, a company that has created an app so that anyone can have their very own personal driver, has used the anniversary of the Boston bombing as a promotion.

Too. Soon.

While marathon runners and supporters lined up along the route of the course, Uber sent out the following email to users:

This weekend, people will come together from all over the globe to celebrate human perseverance in the city of champions.

In the spirit of the Boston Marathon, we'd like to show appreciation to some of the amazing drivers that have been helping Bostonians get around the city over the past year.

Introducing BostonX:

Get picked up by a local hero within the Boston community, yet another reason that our city has always been revered as the City upon a Hill.

Saturday, 4/19, from 9am to 5pm EST, you'll be able to request a ride on BostonX.

Simply open up your app and swipe all the way right to the "BostonX" view and request a car.

All BostonX rides are at uberX rates.

A little insensitive, right?

It’s only been a year since the marathon attack that scarred the city of Boston, killing 3 people and injuring approximately 264 others.

But Uber doesn’t mind. This is a promotional jackpot! What better way to up sales than to pull on the heartstrings of those affected by the tragedy?

On April 19, Uber used “local heroes” as the drivers for the event, meaning that anyone who logged onto Uber to obtain a driver, got the honor of being driven around by Boston’s finest police officers, firefighters, soldiers, etc.

They were the real heroes in the situation, it’s true, so wouldn’t it make more sense for Uber to be giving them the rides instead of making them drive people around?

Either way, Bostonian’s aren’t buying it.

But Uber even threw in a little donation to the United Way to sweeten the deal and make you feel good about signing up. Uber announced “for every new Uber Bostonian that applies and rides with that code between now and April 28th, we’re contributing $20 to United Way on behalf of the rider community!”

If you dress up a marketing ploy in sheep’s clothing… it’s still a marketing ploy.

Uber’s strategy to get more people to sign up for their services isn’t the worst idea in the world, but maybe it’s a little too soon to be using the Boston Marathon Bombing for their own greedy advantage.

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