The AT&T 9/11 Memorial Ad Controversy began on September 11th, 2013, when the telecommunications giant tweeted a photo of a hand holding a smartphone capturing the Tribute in Light beams in New York City. The post, intended as a tribute, was immediately met with intense backlash for appearing to use a national tragedy as a product placement opportunity. Since then, the image has become a legendary example of corporate 'cringe' and tone-deaf marketing. In internet culture, the template is frequently used to mock brands that attempt to capitalize on serious events or to satirize the hollow nature of corporate social media accounts during holidays and anniversaries.