Groupon revealed on Monday that a Presidents Day gaffe that raised eyebrows over the weekend was completely intentional.
In honor of Presidents Day, the Chicago-based e-coupon company offered $10 off any $40 deal for local businesses. “The $10 bill, as everyone knows, features President Alexander Hamilton — undeniably one of our greatest presidents and most widely recognized for establishing the country’s financial system,” reads a statement on the company’s website.
The only problem: Alexander Hamilton, who served as the Secretary of the Treasury under George Washington, was never President. A spokesperson for the company told the Chicago Tribune Monday evening that it was all a gag. “Most Presidents Day promotions make people fall asleep, so we wanted to do something different that was in line with our brand and sense of humor that got people talking and writing about Groupon,” the spokesman wrote in an email to the Tribune.
Whether you consider the stunt dubious or genius, according to the company spokesman the spoof was “an overwhelming success.”
More Must-Reads from TIME
- How Donald Trump Won
- The Best Inventions of 2024
- Why Sleep Is the Key to Living Longer
- How to Break 8 Toxic Communication Habits
- Nicola Coughlan Bet on Herself—And Won
- What It’s Like to Have Long COVID As a Kid
- 22 Essential Works of Indigenous Cinema
- Meet TIME's Newest Class of Next Generation Leaders
Contact us at letters@time.com