 Click Now to Order
APPROPRIATENESS
As the fighting began in Iraq, many of the nation’s biggest
marketers pulled their advertisements from various media outlets. McDonald’s
Toyota, MasterCard, PepsiCo, and several other companies with big advertising budgets
pulled their ads from television, as well as trimming ads on the radio and in
print. Experts think the moves could drain up to $1 million a day from the
advertising industry.
Charlie Rutman, president of the Media buying company, Carat
USA says marketers must judge the attitude and response of the consumer
audience. He notes advertisers did not seem concerned with the Gulf War
12-years ago, but the September 11th attacks set new guidelines for
marketing during times of political uncertainty. Rutman says, “Nobody wants to
read in the newspaper the next morning: ‘This war sponsored by…’”
Vice President of marketing for McDonald’s, Dan Ryan says,
“From a customer point of view, we wouldn’t want to do anything that wasn’t
appropriate.” Another media expert agrees, adding, “War is not the time to
pitch a product.”
—USA TODAY, War’s start prompts marketers to pull ads, by
Theresa Howard, March 20, 2003. Illustration by Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell.
Ecclesiastes
3:1,8 NASB
“There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every event
under heaven— … A time to love, and a time to hate; a time for War, and a time
for peace.”
|
