Boycotts come in many flavors, results uncertain - The Orange Mane

ak1971 · 12-14-2005, 03:46 PM

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Pick a cause and join a boycott.

ADVERTISEMENT

Tackling corporate America these days on issues ranging from triple-X video sales to taking Christmas out of Christmas can be as easy as clicking on a Web site. But whether the campaigns do any real damage is hard to measure, experts say.

Even one of the most active boycott organizers, the American Family Association, says there is evidence the threat of a boycott may be more potent than the action itself.

"Everyone's afraid to be bitten by a snake but the fear can be much worse than the bite," says Randy Sharp, the AFA's director of special projects. "Our policy is that before you call a boycott you do everything in your power to avoid it. They're costly and time-consuming. You take the easy road first and work with the companies in private."

The conservative Christian group claims it has 2.2 million online supporters, though Sharp said little is known about their demographics beyond their addresses, and it is hard to know how they carry through on an actual boycott.

Last week the AFA canceled a boycott against Target Corp. after the company said it would use the word "Christmas" in its advertising and marketing, instead of something more holiday generic. The group claimed 700,000 people had signed up electronically to boycott Target.

It is happy with a recent decision by Ford Motor Co. to pull some advertising from gay publications after it called off a boycott threat against the auto maker for being too gay-friendly.

Ford said it was responding to a fall in U.S. sales in all but two of the last 18 months and was not caving into pressure.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20051214/...NlYwN5bmNhdA--

enjolras · 12-15-2005, 04:45 PM

*sighs*

What the hell is wrong with these people.. we're now squabbling over the word 'Christmas'.

To the AFA: Get over your f*ing selves.

12-14-2005, 03:46 PM	#1
ak1971 uhhhh Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 5,550	Boycotts come in many flavors, results uncertain CHICAGO (Reuters) - Pick a cause and join a boycott. ADVERTISEMENT Tackling corporate America these days on issues ranging from triple-X video sales to taking Christmas out of Christmas can be as easy as clicking on a Web site. But whether the campaigns do any real damage is hard to measure, experts say. Even one of the most active boycott organizers, the American Family Association, says there is evidence the threat of a boycott may be more potent than the action itself. "Everyone's afraid to be bitten by a snake but the fear can be much worse than the bite," says Randy Sharp, the AFA's director of special projects. "Our policy is that before you call a boycott you do everything in your power to avoid it. They're costly and time-consuming. You take the easy road first and work with the companies in private." The conservative Christian group claims it has 2.2 million online supporters, though Sharp said little is known about their demographics beyond their addresses, and it is hard to know how they carry through on an actual boycott. Last week the AFA canceled a boycott against Target Corp. after the company said it would use the word "Christmas" in its advertising and marketing, instead of something more holiday generic. The group claimed 700,000 people had signed up electronically to boycott Target. It is happy with a recent decision by Ford Motor Co. to pull some advertising from gay publications after it called off a boycott threat against the auto maker for being too gay-friendly. Ford said it was responding to a fall in U.S. sales in all but two of the last 18 months and was not caving into pressure. http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20051214/...NlYwN5bmNhdA--

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

12-15-2005, 04:45 PM	#2
enjolras Ring of Famer Join Date: Jan 2003 Posts: 6,950	sighs What the hell is wrong with these people.. we're now squabbling over the word 'Christmas'. To the AFA: Get over your f*ing selves.