Lipton Iced Tea Dixie Chicks Ads Pulled

AdAge.Com ^ | June, 19, 2003 | Hillary Chura

[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.

[strela]

Practicing what he preaches

Either that or trolling. And I bet the farm on trolling.

[milan]

Trolling!!! Go look at the profile and what he just wrote in another thread. No way that this person is conservative by any means.

[TigersEye]

Does FREEDOM really ring in America , or is it just a myth?

That's your opinion. IMO I think you ought to SHUT UP!

[Ann Archy]

I just saw an INFONE commercial with JAMES CARVILE...the most mean-spirited, devisive man in the US...and he had BARE LEGS to boot!!! GROSS!! Who would be STUPID enough to hire JAMES CARVILE???? What a MORON!!

[Brian Allen]

<< Seems to me the Dipsie Twits have been a pretty good object lesson to liberals. The knashing of teeth over this has been interesting to say the least. >>

Penn's history. Madonna's for the Retired Sexworkers Home. Tim Robbins is oudda here with the other bums. [Pity, properly pointed the light bounces offa him quite pretty, most times anyway]

Be interesting to see how Alec Baldwin's latest tv flick, due on air any day now, is treated. My money's on we'll Susan Saranwrap it!

I think all of Laundrywood's and entertainment-in-general's un-and-anti-American illusion makers can forget future stardom. And, most of them, this side of MacDonalds, anyway, even much in the way of future income.

[Ann Archy]

You are free to support any moron you wish. You are indeed free to be as stupid or as smart as you want to be.

[DoughtyOne]

Well, at least we can hope. You've got my vote.

[Aquamarine]

I've noticed here in the South that the Country FM radio stations have stopped playing the Dixie Chicks songs. Haven't missed them either.

[PeoplesRep_of_LA]

If I have to reprint this for one more moron that doesn't understand that free speech means speech not prohibited by a Congressional Law, I'm going to scream;

Amendment I, learn it, love it, live it;Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

[Brian Allen]

<< America , land of Free Speech ...

Does FREEDOM really ring in America , or is it just a myth? >>

I doubt there are too many among those of us who post on these boards who wouldn't put his life on the line to fight for the ditsy chips' or even the traitors, KKKli'toons' and their henchman, Alberto Lurch Goreleone's -- or your -- right to say whatever any of you have to say.

But none of you have any right to expect what you say to be popular or to your right to say it being confused with my right to afford you the dignity of the consequences of your speach if what you say pisses me off!

[TigersEye]

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

Hey, that's purty good. Whereja git that? Sum buddy ott'ta rite that down.

[Paleo Conservative]

F.U.D.C.!!!

I hope you don't mean literally. That is too disgusting to contemplate, especially Natalie.

[PeoplesRep_of_LA]

Whereja git that? Sum buddy ott'ta rite that down

Well, the miracles of the internet. You'd think with it being accessable in seconds for just about anybody that anti war Paleocons (read anti Semites) like this "Eustace" wouldn't make such fools of their Constitutional ignorance.

[billbears]

You'd think with it being accessable in seconds for just about anybody that anti war Paleocons (read anti Semites neo con slur)

LOL!! And then you've got people like myself who fully support Israel, questioned the war, and like the Dixie Chicks music. You can't actually prove that the 'Old Right' is anti-semitic. But then again, you don't care. Just keep throwing enough up on the wall and see what'll stick, eh? Keep on with your neocon rant there

[SerpentDove]

Does FREEDOM really ring in America , or is it just a myth?

Actually, the DCs have their right to free spech. It hasn't been hindered in any way. In fact, Fatty Nattie's foolish statements got *plenty* of play.

[Ramtek57]

(Freedom of Speech does not give you Freedom from Consequences. She had every right to say what she did, and we, as consumers, have every right to not buy her music or products sponsoring her.

Does FREEDOM really ring in America , or is it just a myth?

What's happening to the Dixie Chicks is a perfect example of Freedom. Consumers are using their power to show disapproval of the Chick's comments. Free choice and free will. Like I said, she had every right to say that, but she must also realize that there are consequences to her actions.)

That was a perfect explanation of Freedom, Free Choice, Free will, and Freedom of Speech. 

[My2Cents]

Oh. I hadn't thought about that. ewwww....

[Pure Country]

I'm surprised that Lipton doesn't sue the chicks for making their investment worthless. Ought to be able to recoup their dollars.

[No Truce With Kings]

"immature and childish?!?! Isn't that the same?"

It's one thing to talk to yourself, another to argue with yourself, but one more response to yourself and you are going to start losing the argument with yourself. That's bad. Really.