Yes, that’s (intentionally) a very wide beat and I’m digging it immensely. Here are the first dozen Social Ventures columns – hope you become a regular reader.

Assange Launches Agenda-Driven Show on Putin’s Network: First Guest Is Hezbollah Chief

Springsteen’s Causes: Shifting Views of The Promised Land

The Masters and Augusta: Where’s the Outrage (and the Network)?

A Year Later in Japan: GlobalGiving and the Long Road

Obama’s Surprising World Bank Choice: Health Care as a Human Right

Smashing the World Bank Fortress: Sachs, Obama, and the Public Data Challenge

The #StopKony Backlash: Complexity and the Challenges of Slacktivism

The New Networked Feminism: Limbaugh’s Spectacular Social Media Defeat

Giving Days vs. Giving Daze: Looking for Engagement

Murdoch, Assange and the Need to Know

Pinterest and the Hype Factor

Who Are the Social Entrepreneurs?

I’m not sure which of the three was more patently offensive. In one, Elizabeth Hurley talked about deforestation in South America (which threatens our very climate) before shifting into a – and I kid you not if you didn’t see it – a pitch about not all deforestation being bad when Groupon customers can save 50 percent on Brazilian bikini waxes. The spot was replete with the sound effects of tearing wax strips and little screams of pain, whilst Hurley appeared in a bathrobe.

In the other, Timothy Hutton talks about the beauty of Tibet before devolving into praise for Groupon saving customers $15 on Tibetan food in a Chicago restaurant. I mean, who wrote this copy:

“The Tibetan people are in trouble.”

“Their very culture is in jeopardy.”

“But they still whip up an amazing fish curry!”

In the third, Cuba Gooding Jr. offers 43% off whale watching while trivializing “save the whales” efforts. And believe it or not, this was all serious. Groupon actually believes this is good cause marketing, and the company defended itself (after the eminently predictable Twitter outcry) on its blog:

The gist of the concept is this: When groups of people act together to do something, it’s usually to help a cause. With Groupon, people act together to help themselves by getting great deals. So what if we did a parody of a celebrity-narrated, PSA-style commercial that you think is about some noble cause (such as “Save the Whales”), but then it’s revealed to actually be a passionate call to action to help yourself (as in “Save the Money”)?

The post goes on to point out that Groupon got its start as an outgrowth of philanthropy site, The Point. It defends hiring Chris Guest of Spinal Tap fame to direct the spots, and points to a site – SaveTheMoney.org – where people can view the ads and make donations, which Groupon (revenues: $2 billion) will match up to $100,000. It’s small-minded and small-spirited all around. As ad critic Stuart Elliot said in the Times: “The commercial made Kenneth Cole’s comment about Egypt on Twitter last week — ‘Millions are in uproar in #Cairo. Rumor is they heard our new spring collection is now available’ — seem sensitive.”

Humor is a wonderful motivator, and corporate philanthropy and cause marketing needs more of it. Despite the company’s history and Guest’s estimable talents, these spots were simply not funny. They were offensive, especially to those working passionately on those cause – indeed, risking their lives to change the world.  As Liz Strauss notes in an excellent post: “Clever isn’t clever when it offends.”

Groupon’s growth has been fantastic – a success it clearly owes to “the crowd” itself. As the criticism mounts among that crowd of socially-aware consumers who flock to Groupon, the company should both apologize and increase its commitment to the those causes.

UPDATE: Groupon CEO Andrew Mason takes on the reaction to the ads in a blog post: “Our ads highlight the often trivial nature of stuff on Groupon when juxtaposed against bigger world issues, making fun of Groupon. Why make fun of ourselves? Because it’s different – ads are traditionally about shameless self promotion, and we’ve always strived to have a more honest and respectful conversation with our customers. We would never have run these ads if we thought they trivialized the causes – even if we didn’t take them as seriously as we do, what type of company would go out of their way to be so antagonistic?” But the comments from Groupon members are pretty tough. And he does seem defensive.