J.C. Penney blindsided by Us Weekly
Looks like some of Us Weekly’s advertisers may not be too happy with the Democrat propganda rag’s activism.
Several readers forwarded me the following response they received to their complaints about the Palin-bashing issue:
From: JCPenney Contact Us
Subject: Re: General Inquiries
To: xxx
JCPenney has very strict guidelines regarding advertising from running in any politically or religiously driven magazines or publications. At the time our ad was accepted and approved a different cover was approved for the magazine, however, with the political controversy US Weekly changed their cover and it was too late for us to withdraw.
We never want to cause our customer’s concern and apologize for the inconvenience. We appreciate your comments and feedback.
Thank you for you email.
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Yeah, so what are they going to do about it? Three guesses… and the first 2 don’t count.
Hopefully the next time a magazine does this, JC Penney will pull its advertising!
And I have a bridge across the East River for sale — Cheap!
I wonder what the original cover was before US did the ol’ switcheroo. “Why She Loves Barak”?!
Look at the B.S reply I got from Coke that doesn’t cover the issue.
————————————-
Thank you for contacting The Coca-Cola Company. We appreciate the opportunity to respond.
As a Company that conducts business in over 200 countries, we are a nonpartisan business organization and it is not our place to take positions on political matters unrelated to the beverage industry.
Though our role as a business is inherently limited in taking a political position, throughout the world we strive to do all we can to set an example and uphold the highest standards of diversity. We believe in an inclusive and diverse workplace environment. We are focused on strategic workplace programs that help assure the success of our commitment to embracing the similarities and differences of people, cultures and ideas.
Some Company employees do participate in the Political Action Committee, which is a voluntary association separate from The Coca-Cola Company. The PAC is bipartisan and contributes to a wide diversity of candidates–Republican, Democratic, Liberal and Conservative. It is up to the PAC to determine which candidates to support. If you are interested, the PAC makes regular public disclosure of all contributions, and its reports are on file with the Federal Election Commission in Washington, D.C.
Should you have additional questions or comments, please feel free to contact us again.
Industry and Consumer Affairs
The Coca-Cola Company
I don’t get the overuse of the word, “inconvenience“. It’s not “inconvenience”; it’s anger and even outrage. I wish some talking head would have the guts to call it that.
“Dear Valued Customer….we regret the outrage this has caused”.
Well, it’s about all we can expect from the company that once, “like[d] to teach the world to sing in perfect harmony”.
It sounds like Penney’s is really bothered about it, which is a start. I don’t know how likely it is that any of them will pull advertising, but I guess if they face enough criticism maybe they’ll take a second look at it.
I am sorry but I don’t agree with this attempt to shut down this magazine based on a few mistakes. They should however be put on notice.
Probably “Back To School Fashions For Babies, Lies & Scandals”
I think that’s where Obama got his college degree: JC Penny.
Fellow Conservative Action Takers – Do not dispair.
I received the same response from Coca-Cola and similar ones from others. If you think about it, they are in a difficult position and are replying with a “neutral” response. Some will call me naive but I take comfort in believing that more than likely the behind-the-scenes response by the advertisers to the magazine is stronger than the public statements. I will contine to contact advetisers when I feel that they are supporting non-conservative agendas. We ARE making progress.
I agree with LMC above.
I don’t think anyone is trying to “shut them down”. People are making their displeasure known to advertisers, as they have every right to do. If enough negative feedback comes through those advertisers may very well yank their ads. On the other hand if Obama’s supporters want to flood the advertisers with positive feedback then they may conclude that on balance they have pleased more people than they’ve pissed off and things will continue as they are now.
This is how the free market and First Amendment are supposed to work. There’s nothing unseemly about it.
Opops, should have been I will contine to contact advetisers when I feel that they are NOT supporting non-conservative agendas.
Oops, Oops.
Posting too fast and trying to read/reply to my Email at the same time.
First one was correct.
Now I know what Obama must feel like when he flip-flops several times within a few minutes!
“Who Is Khalid al-Mansour?”
The friend’s name is Dr. Khalid al-Mansour, from Texas,” Sutton said. “He is the principal adviser to one of the world’s richest men. He told me about Obama.”
Obama Had Close Ties to Top Saudi Adviser at Early Age
Original Cover
Odopey quivering under his Bus with all his looney friends.
Well it shoulda been.
Why has this story not gotten much play?
On September 8th, 2008 at 4:39 pm, Last Massachusetts Conservative said:
I hope so, but not so sure. They’re not so much supporting non-conservative agendas, as anti-freedom agendas.
Study the many socialist and communist revolutions in the past. There were plenty of rich capitalists, companies and organizations that supported them.
They thought they could “ride the tiger,” that they could end up on top of the whole thing. “Oh, I am friends with Hitler, he will give me many contracts” or “Lenin, yes, I gave him money, he will owe me…” “We can deal with Chavez, he’ll play ball…”
Once you unleash the tiger, though, there’s no guarantee that the tiger won’t end up eating you when no one is left.
And the tiger they’re trying to let out this time will control the whole world. Nowhere for jews or catholics or dissidents to flee to, nowhere for anyone to hide.
I like Pennys,I will give them the benefit of the doubt.
I am in complete favor. I think they should keep it up and go the route of the NYT’s. They can shoot themselves in the foot until there reader base is friends and relatives (and people who forgot to send the second cancelation notices in).
Every Penny’s store I’ve ever been to has a cramped feeling. Just way too many different makers of the same-looking clothes. The best possible course of action would be to cancel a subscription if you have one, or not buy it off the race. The falling sales numbers will, eventually, force advertisers away.
Ooops…”race” should be “rack”. I’ll now be labeled as racist!
Just where is it that you think you are right now?
Which means Penney’s understands that in a consumer-driven market place, good public opinion = money. Bad public opinion = loss of money.
A bunch of us are butterfingers today.
This wasn’t a “mistake” – it was a deliberate effort to smear her and curry favor from the Obama campaign:
From a previous MM post:
The nice thing about our side for the fence is we can disagree without going into hyper attack mode!!!
There are a lot of issues involved in canceling an advertising contract. One example, retroactive loss of volume discounts. Thus, I do not expect immediate response.
I really do believe that our letters and telephone calls are making a difference. Remember the results of our SHAMENASTY calls. I called both of my Senators and My Congretional Representative (All liberal deomcrate, after all I am from Massachusetts.) I got neutral and sometimes defensive responses but collectively we got our message across.
We need to stay focused and keep up the pressure until November.
Sheer Speculation here but it could have been:
* Tears in my ears – the search for Oprah’s lost eyelashes
* Nancy Pelosi to the Oil Comapnies “Drill this!”
* Chuck Shumer’s swaps his favorite banking tips with Joe Biden.
* John Edwards – back in the spotlight becuause he has a family to support.
* Hillary Clinton talks about 2012 – the next Olympics we face.
What about the pro-Obama cover run previously? No complaints, so no harm, no foul, I suppose. But don’t ya think it was just a wee bit politically motivated?
Obamas wasn’t a hit piece, and there’s more dirt on him than pigs in a mud hole.
thank you for you email?? geez.
I’m not sure what you’re saying here, sonofdy.
Are you saying that it’s OK for them to use lies and rumors to influence the election and try to “shut down” the Republican nominee, but it’s not OK for us to cancel our subscriptions? We should just put them “on notice” by saying: “Don’t do this again or I’m going to cancel.”
Or are you saying that those who exercise free speech rights should not be held accountable for what they say?
Or are you saying that only those on the left have free speech rights and the rest of us need to just shut up and take it?
You’re not trying to shut us down are you? What exactly are you saying?
One of the great things that has come from the Palin controversy is that it has inspired me to get involved, not just talk about what needs to be done. We can complain all we want, but some of us actually wrote letters, made phone calls, etc. in order to make our feelings known, and that’s a positive thing.
Any legal minds that can read between the lines? If the cover isn’t the approved cover, would Us have to pay back to Pennys all advertising fees? Are they just giving lip service to us dumbos, who are silently clutching our bibles and clinging to our guns?
He also writes a newspaper column and is a primary defender of militant Islam.
Hey Aircraft…that was the exact same bs form letter I got from coke as well. I sent them a thank you for their thought out form letter and told them that pepsi would get the money I used to shell out for diet coke.
This is putting them on notice.
A harsh e mail in and by itself means nothing to these people.
When you are a souless lib, the only things that matter usually is your sense of self importance. And that means also…CASH.
You want to let a business know you don’t like them trying to serve you a side order of their politics, then you cost them some business.
Everything else is just “buzz” to them and in a ironic and sad way, they like it.
PEPSI –
Rum and PEPSI…
I own stock in PEPSI –so— you all could help a “fellow traveler” and SWITCH !!!
Letters to advertisers always work. Keep it up.
Here’s the non-response I got from McDonalds. My original email follows their response.
I responded with:
No response yet.
I’ve since been told that it is possible to have regional advertising in a national magazine but still think that, in a large company, full autonomy isn’t something you’ll find in a regional office.
Ny Andy – McDonald’s is so pro-gay that you can be sure they are trying to help out the Obama campaign. they will never give you a straight answer on any complaint.
I really didn’t know that “J.C.Penny” even existed. I have heard the name in an old movie or something…
If I was JC Penny, I would ask and then sue for a complete refund or just not pay when the invoice comes in.
A little off topic but, I got a free issue of Us today in the mail and I’m sure you can guess which issue it was. I can get up to 4 free issues! I’m returning the whole issue with a few of my thoughts. I’m sure no one will read it but it makes me feel better.
The advertisers will make things good once they see the reduction in subscriptions and sales of the magazines. Fewer eyes, less value for the advertising, spend money elsewhere.
I’m sure none of these companies saw or knew about the cover and article before it was for sale.
A couple of points.
1) re # 40
From a legal standpoint, what we have here is a breach of contract. Penney’s bought ad space in a magazine with specified content, i.e., a particular cover. US runs the ad with a different cover. That is a breach. JCP has damages, i.e., they have been exposed to criticism and even loss of business as a direct result of the breach. They have a good case for canceling any remaining contract obligations, and a good argument for damages. I don’t think US will be trying to impose any retroactive penalties for loss of volume discounts; likely their attorneys will be trying to minimize their losses.
2) Don’t worry about canned responses. They are cheap to do, most corps consider them better than no response. They might well reflect a customer service dept that is overwhelmed with complaints and is unable to respond in any other way for the time being.
But they will at least do a tally, and believe me, the marketing guys will NOT be happy about massive complaints and threats to boycott. There may be no apparent effect immediately, but there will be an effect.
#46 Andy’s 2nd e-mail is the kind of thing that will really get their attention. Getting a second e-mail tells them it isn’t just some hothead blowing off steam who is going to forget it and have a Coke at McDonald’s tomorrow. So if you got a canned response, write them again. Be polite, but tell them it wasn’t good enough, and now you think they don’t value you as a customer.
And if you can, call these companies on the phone. It is MUCH more costly for companies to handle phone complaints than e-mails. If you really want to get their attention, kick them square in the wallet. Be nice (the person on the phone is just doing a job) but make your point. I am just saying I won’t be buying their product, etc., until they stop advertising with US or the other Wenner publications.
Keep up the pressure. Time to punish Wenner; he is a notorious ass who reportedly takes sadistic pleasure in personally firing people and humiliating them in the process. He has been asking for it for years; let’s give it to him big time.
JCP and other advertisers are not taking this seriously. They believe we are stupid and will accept this crap. They believe as soon as the election is over we will forget and go give them our business again.
Big mistake JCP and McDonald’s.
Major companies, like JC Penny, should take a serious hard look at what the dems are thinking. These companies pay more corporate tax than any other country in the world, which is why companies are leaving the U.S.. Once the dems have total control, expect those taxes to go even higher. “Their fair share” and “for the children” is the excuses. Of course, the consumer will pay, not the corporation. Once the economy goes flat, expect the dems to do exactly what they planned in the beginning, “bailout” the companies. Ireland has a business tax of only 15% and is prosperous. I’ve noticed some products I buy are marked “Made in Ireland”. That’s where I would move my corporate HQ, if I could.
I had also written to JCP and last evening got the IDENTICAL response as those listed above. We have so often heard the bemoaning of ‘internet/blog driven serial letters and calls’ yet here are these companies doing the exact thing. Have someone draft a nondescript note that says nothing and don’t even bother reading beyond the first sentence of the complaint before hitting repy, paste in the response, hit send….voila, end of problem. Except I already know what they replied to A and C knows what they replied to me, and we all know they are still not listening to their customers!
Waging a shut down campaign is “put on notice”. See how that works?
Attacking, Lying About and Smearing Governor Palin is not a few mistakes it is Attacking, Lying About and Smearing.
See how that works?
—
Hey Obama-Want to see Bitter?
Look at your wife.
I would not be too harsh on JC Penneys ‘canned’ response. Once their inbox lit-up with all the complaints, one person was instructed to put together a response.
Since each email was about the same issue, a canned response was reasonable.
I suspect JC Penneys will take a close look at any further dealings with the magazine.
Correct me if I’m wrong, but it sures sounds to me like you’re saying:
“I want to freely express MY opinion that the rest of you slobs out there should not be so free in expressing YOUR opinions.”