Members of the increasingly popular subreddit r/wallstreetbets were in a fighting mood Wednesday, pointing to a thirty-second video the stock-trading app Robinhood currently plans to run during this year’s Super Bowl. At issue, argue the redditors, is the seeming disconnect between the ad’s celebration of retail investors (theoretically like them) and the fact that Robinhood prevented them from buying GameStop shares just last week.
At the time, the move by Robinhood appeared to disrupt an ongoing short squeeze and has led to over 30 class action lawsuits.
The Robinhood ad in question, which splashes the text “We are all investors” across the screen as a voiceover intones “you don’t need to become an investor…you were born one,” is already available for viewing on YouTube.
“We built Robinhood for our customers, for the millions of people who have felt left behind by America’s financial system,” reads a Wednesday blog post announcing the ad buy.
Notably, comments on the YouTube video are disabled.
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That, however, doesn’t stop anyone from sharing their thoughts on the ad in the r/wallstreetbets subreddit — thoughts that include crowdfunding a Super Bowl ad of the subreddit’s own.
“TL;DR fuck Robinhood let’s buy super bowl ad space and shit on them,” reads the post.
There even appears to be an actual effort to raise the money for said anti-Robinhood ad. At the time of writing, that GoFundMe had raised $11,073 of its $6,000,000 goal.
Hail Mary.
Image: screenshot / gofundme
It’s also raised the support of actor Leslie David Baker, known for (among other things) his role playing Stanley Hudson on The Office.
“I would love to help you all make this happen,” he posted on Reddit. “If this is something you’re seriously considering let me know, my team and I will use all resources at our disposal to get us the advertisement, shoot it, get the talent, crew, and get it out in time for Super Bowl. You have my full support! 💎🙌🏽”
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Of course, not everyone is freaking out about Robinhood’s blandly corporate cheerleading effort.
“The worst thing about Robinhood airing a Super Bowl ad is it might actually convince some people to be their customers,” a r/wallstreetbets moderator told Mashable.
Which, well, Robinhood might not need a Super Bowl ad for that.