This was a very successful commercial campaign for the American Express card. It's also a very bad joke.It amazes me that somewhere, an advertising executive got paid money to come up with this.

Of course, the real tragedy is that this was thought up by no Amex exec. The joke's been around forever. It's just another example of how corporate America has subverted and corrupted all that is right and good in the world towards their own diabolical ends.