Here's a copy of the letter Ford issued (pdf) after deciding to ignore the AFA boycott and go ahead and advertise in GLBT publications. In fact, Ford is going to expand their advertising to not only include Jaguar, Land Rover, and Volvo vehicles, but also include their entire line (Ford, Mercury, Lincoln, etc.) Ford will be cutting sponsorship of some events, but they are cutting back on that across the board due to their financial status.
You can email Ford using this on line form and thank them for their change in position.
Business Week reports that Ford now claims that the AFA had nothing to do with the controversial decision to stop advertising in GLBT publications. Ford spokespeople had told at least 3 reputable reporters that the AFA boycott had been the motivating factor to discontinue ads in gay/lesbian publications. This is the current Ford position as stated in the Business Week article:
Ford denied that the dropping of ads and sponsorships by Jaguar and Land Rover was in response to the AFA. But the AFA created the perception that Ford had given them what they wanted, which angered several Ford executives--notably CEO Bill Ford.
The NY Times has an excellent article on the topic as well.
1 comment:
All of you folks who just sent off angry letters calling Ford a dirty, rotten, cheating scoundrel for getting into bed with AFA's Donald Wildmon had better go to Ford's on-line form and say something nice now that the company is, apparently, again our friend.
Come on, now. Ford has something to say to you:
"Hi, gay."
"Yes, I'm listening."
"Yeah, about that little thing with Donald Wildmon. Really, nothing happened. We were just talking, you know? Fully clothed. Both feet on the groud the whole time, I swear. He means nothing to me. And I was thinking of you the whole time."
"Why were you even talking to that jerk?"
"Oh gosh, I don't know. I was just...well, you've been working late a lot, and I just...just got lonely. Donald kept calling. Said he wanted to talk. I didn't see any harm in just talking. So we talked. That's all. Then, he got all, like, crazy on me and threatened to call all his friends and tell them I'm a big slut and I got scared. So scared. Here, look what I got you--a bunch of new ads for the Advocate and Out Magazine."
"Oh, Ford, you big lug, they're beautiful. Come here. I'll give you another chance. You've been good to me. But this is it. I swear, if I see that little weasel around here again, it is over."
"I promise."
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