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.

[Aquamarine]

America , land of Free Speech ( unless someone doesn't like what you have to say ). First it was the Christian's then the Dixie Chicks , you better hope you are not next to realize your economic restraints............. Does FREEDOM really ring in America , or is it just a myth?

From the dictionary...Consequence---That which naturally follows from a preceding action; result.

Americans are free to say whatever they want but there can be a good or bad consequence.

[pepperhead]

Who cares it's Lipton tea. It's not like it was a good tea company like Luzianne.;)

[Ramtek57]

How good does Luzianne taste? Is it better than Lipton?

[ctonious]

How good does Luzianne taste? Is it better than Lipton?

Luzianne oughtta sponsor an Austin "Tea Party". Complete with Governor George W. Bush memorabilia - and international signs with the diagonal cross through them indicating "No Lipton", and one slightly modified 70's era sign saying - "No Fat (Dixie) Chicks".

[Eala]

The belief in free speech by the left has been shown to be free speech "only if you agree with me".

And don't forget the legal sanctions the Left weisghs in with.

[pepperhead]

I think Luzianne taste alot better for ice tea. Been drinking it for years. I used to drink Lipton but tried Luzianne once and never went back. Some of my other family members are tea drinkers too and they all prefer Luzianne. You can always buy a box and try it for yourself.

[Only1choice____Freedom]

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

If it is a myth then why are the Dixie Chicks still walking around? Are they in jail? Are they dead? Can they still say what they want to? Anywhere in the U.S they want to?

If America was really what you think, then all the people who have spoken out against the president and his policies would be dead, in jail as political prisoners, tortured, and threatened by those that they have spoken against.

The problem with free speech is that if one person is going to have it, everyone must be given the same rights. Their freedom of speech is not a requirement on my part to listen. They have spoken and now if freedom of speech really does exist the way they want it to, I have my freedom of speech as well.

Do I have a requirement to buy their CD's? Must I listen to their tripe on TV? Do I have to sit in the crowd at an awards banquet when they come out with an F.U. T-shirt and a mohawk? I don't think so.

If you really want to see where free speech doesn't exist, visit Iran and proclaim you are a Christian. If you really want to see Christian persecution, visit Pakistan or even China. Try talking about Tiananmen Square in Beijing!! That's REAL repression. Hollywood repression is not the same.

Before you start talking about freedom of speech or lack thereof, make sure you know what you are talking about.
Religious persecution and freedom of speech are two different things.

[zip]

America , land of Free Speech ( unless someone doesn't like what you have to say ).

Look troll, if you weren't spending all of your time at DU, you would realize that FReepers consistantly state everyone has a right to free speech. It is just that non dims/liberals ALSO HAVE THE RIGHT TO FREE SPEECH. Your attempt to parrot the dimocRatic line has failed. Free speech is not a one way issue. It's just that you cannot stand conservatives utilizing that right.

[PeoplesRep_of_LA]

Speak of the paleocon, guilt ridden and full of denial about their anti Semitism (amoung other things) and they appear!

who fully support Israel

Wow, down to blatent lying now are we? I must have really struck a nerve.

Just keep throwing enough up on the wall and see what'll stick, eh?

What, like I even have to try after all the conspiracies you Paleocons have elightened me on FR about the culpability of world events concerning the parasitic Joooooooz?

This whole embrace of Israel is new from the Paleocons. I wonder if it will "stick"...I got a better question. I wonder if I care what you insane kooks think?

Nope. That was easy.

[zip]

F.U.D.C.!!!

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

I drank in college and I drank in the Army BUT I AIN'T NEVER BEEN THAT DRUNK.

[TigersEye]

Well I wouldn't know a neocon from a Dodge neon and I even read a thread devoted to defining the difference between neocons and paleocons. (ended up even less sure) But I did a find in forum on ol' Eustace and it didn't take me long to conclude that he's anti-semitic. This post pretty much convinced me.

[ladyinred]

You know, Natalie thought she was really cute when she made her tacky remark about Bush in England. I wonder how "cute" she feels now, and how her other two "chicks" feel about the damage she did to their careers! Serves her right!


(You know in honor of that other unAmerican icon, Hillary)

[proudofthesouth]

Luzianne makes a MUCH better iced tea!

[gorebegone]

"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 dixie whos?.....heh heh heh....

[Howlin]

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

That's the whole point: I'm free to not like what they say and not support anything they advertise.

I've never read anything that says I have to buy a product even if I don't like their ideas.

[Tempest]

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

Drugs are bad for you, and this is forum for adults. So I think you're lost.

Of course freedom exist in America, especially the freedom to not spend your dollars on performers that you find distasteful.

Now go do some good and defend doctor Laura Schlesinger.

[Tempest]

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

I agree, Eustace really does come off as a troll.

He reminds of of some schmuck from some other site I used to go to.

[Recovering_Democrat]

I heard an INFONE commercial on my local Rush station. BWA HA HA HA! What a friggin' waste of MONEY that was on advertising!

[clintonh8r]

Freedom of speech is not a guaranty of being heard. That hog shot off her mouth, as is her right, now a bunch of us aren't listening anymore. Clear?