Campus app trashes Donald Trump in a shameless ploy for students' attention

Donald Trump
(Image credit: Bill Pugliano/Getty Images)

Brands will do just about anything to get the attention of college students, and the new social networking app Shattr is no different. But instead of giving away T-shirts or other freebies, they're banking on piquing students' interest in a slightly different way: by trashing GOP 2016 presidential candidate Donald Trump.

Shattr passed out these cards on Boston University's campus:

Image removed.

(Imgur)

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"It's not meant to be political," Shattr co-founder Ben Fichter said of the seemingly random, expletive-laden "F--k Donald Trump" tagline. "We thought it was funny. We saw it as a lighthearted way to break through to these kids who are being bombarded by all these companies."

Shattr allows users to take a selfie, add a description, and tag friends in the photo. The post then enters a pool for nearby users to reach out to groups of interest and "Shattr" the ice. Of course, branching out of your social group can always be a little awkward, but everyone on Shattr can rest assured of this: If the business cards serve their intended purpose, Shattr users will likely have at least one opinion in common from the start.

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Jeva Lange

Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.