Posted on 06/19/2003 2:45:32 PM PDT by TennTuxedo
LIPTON ICED TEA DIXIE CHICKS ADS PULLED
Unilever Says It Will Continue Running Current Spots June 19, 2003 QwikFIND ID: AAO77M By Hillary Chura
BOSTON (AdAge.com) -- An ad for Lipton Iced Tea that features the Dixie Chicks is being pulled, according to people familiar with the situation. The country music group's lead singer in March during a concert was made comments critical of President Bush in the days leading up to the country's war with Iraq.
No comment A spokeswoman for Unilever, which jointly markets Lipton with PepsiCo in the Pepsi-Lipton Tea Partnership, would not comment on why the Dixie Chicks ad is not running but said, "Lipton has a number of different advertising and promotional plans in the works and has opted for now to run the commercials that currently are on air."
It's uncertain when or if the ad will run. The ads were to have debuted in May to coincide with the group's first world tour in three years.
Three current 30-second spots, which focus on getting back to a healthy way of living, started running in May in the slots designated for the Dixie Chicks ad, according to one person familiar with the situation. The person said the ads were rushed into production after comments made by Natalie Maines, the group's lead singer, caused a furor among some country music fans.
Texas dustup In a concert in England just prior to the start of the war in Iraq, Ms. Maines told the crowd: "Just so you know, we're ashamed the president of the United States is from Texas." The group is also from Texas. Radio stations organized boycotts, and Ms. Maine's later issued an apology
J. Walter Thompson Co., New York, produced the Dixie Chicks ads as well as those on air now. The decision not to run the ad has had no effect on the Lipton's sponsorship of the Grammy-winning group's "Top of the World Tour." The plan was for the tour was to offer Lipton a portable integrated marketing opportunity that would have included an associated Lipton Iced Tea TV spot.
PepsiCo and JWT, part of WPP Group, did not return calls for comment.
Lipton Iced Tea spent $2.9 million in measured media last year, according to TNS Media Intelligence/ CMR.
You are a Democrat; regardless of what you call yourself.
That wasn't a pick up line was it?
I don't pick up women with your mentality...matter of fact I don't talk to them.
Using Hitleries "victim" defense now, huh? All these pinheads surrounding you all of your life caused you to become blind to truth. sad
I wanna have some fun.
Actualy, the longer this idiot goes on, the more leftist mistakes he/she makes i.e. "trumped up war", go back to FR, etc. You are right about having fun watching it gets its bottom kicked.
Now THAT'S funny. ROFLMAO
Yea, but mine doesn't make such a mess.
I'll try to talk down from now on.
Terry McCaulliffe says he's sure we'll find WMDs ( but asks, " where are they now?") I think post #41 is a good place to start.
But hey , try another finger maybe You will find a smell that You like.
Dear Consumer,
Thank you for your recent note regarding remarks made by Natalie Maines of the Dixie Chicks. It is important for us to hear from our consumers and listen to their concerns.
As you can imagine, we did not expect a political controversy to arise when Lipton became a sponsor of the Dixie Chicks upcoming "Top of the World" concert tour. In this time of national crisis, we believe it is important for Americans to come together behind the values of freedom, democracy and tolerance that have made the United States of America into the country it is today.
We have every reason to believe the Dixie Chicks sincerely regret the distress Ms. Maine's comment has caused. In a subsequent statement, she said, "As a concerned American citizen, I apologize to President Bush because my remark was disrespectful. I feel that whoever holds that office should be treated with the utmost respect. We are currently in Europe and witnessing a huge anti-American sentiment as a result of the perceived rush to war. While war may remain a viable option, as a mother, I just want to see every possible alternative exhausted before children and American soldiers' lives are lost. I love my country. I am a proud American."
The Dixie Chicks have in the past shown their love of America in very public ways, such as by singing the National Anthem at the Super Bowl in January, for an audience of 930 million people worldwide. The strong bond they have forged with the public - country and popular music fans alike - is reflected in part by the People's Choice award they won for "Favorite Musical Group," and the fact that their upcoming tour sold out in record time. The band's popularity and success were further recognized when the Recording Academy awarded the Dixie Chicks four Grammy Awards.
While we respect the right to free speech for all Americans, we believe it is important for artists such as the Dixie Chicks to recognize the impact their points of view can have on their fans, especially in these uncertain times.
We value your comments, and equally, the constructive spirit in which they were offered. Thanks again for your time and for allowing us to clarify the situation. We'll be certain to share your thoughts with the Dixie Chicks.
Sincerely,
Linnea Johnson Director, Consumer Services
I hope this twit got fired for trying to hang on to burning dogcrap.
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