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USWeekly Cover Story: JCPenney, Walgreens, McDonalds Begin to Respond to Complaints
USWeekly ^ | 09-08-2008 | Robert A Cook PE

Posted on 09/09/2008 11:26:59 AM PDT by Robert A Cook PE

The liberal media is trying to present a case that fewer than 1000 readers have actually canceled their USWeekly subscriptions - despite original stories that as many as 10,000 canceled.

USWeekly certainly has NOT responded in public, and NO MSM writer has done anything other repeat the original story as we received it on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday after Sarah was nominated for VP.

Regardless of subscriptions, Walgreens, McDonald's, and JCPenney have been quick to respond to my emails complaining about the abhorrent, misleading and disgusting treatment USWeekly gave Sarah Palin as their cover story and inside copy last week. How many others have emailed the companies advertising in USWeekly, or how many turned over or hid copies at the checkstand behind other magazines?

We may never know.

The others? No reply yet.

JCPenney in particular claimed that USWeekly changed covers at the last minute (not surprisingly - given the Friday announcement date), and that they (JCPenney) did not know what was going to be used:

Their email: "Thank you for contacting us online.

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 your email.

Thank you for shopping with JCPenney.

JCPenney Internet Customer Service jcp.com"


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Extended News; Government; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: 2008; advertisers; democrats; liberalmedia; liberals; list; mccainpalin; mediabias; msm; propagandawingofdnc; sarahpalin; usweakly; usweekly
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To: Iron Munro

Wow! What a complete NON-ANSWER from Coca-Cola.


21 posted on 09/09/2008 12:02:40 PM PDT by xDGx
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To: Robert A. Cook, PE
My daughter, who works at the eeevvvviiilll Wally World, said she has gotten a couple of US mags in the returns basket. hehee
22 posted on 09/09/2008 12:03:12 PM PDT by sweet_diane ("Listening to the Palin speech created an endorphin release in my brain." Uncle Henry)
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To: Robert A. Cook, PE
Do they “count” complaints at any real level that matters?

I suspect that written, mailed complaints carry much more weight than e-mails.

23 posted on 09/09/2008 12:06:42 PM PDT by Sloth (A domestic enemy of the Constitution will become POTUS on January 20, 2009.)
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To: geege

Here in Texas the slot was not full, but maybe some other folks threw them out. :D


24 posted on 09/09/2008 12:10:44 PM PDT by WestCoastGal (READ MY LIPSTICK!!!)
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To: WestCoastGal; FlingWingFlyer

I am sorry but I have to disagree with the tactic of turning magazines over or hiding them behind others. We are not liberals, and that is a liberal tactic. Letting others see what a bunch of a**hats the media really are can only benefit us and there are other methods of dealing with this type of trash as this post demonstrates.


25 posted on 09/09/2008 12:11:56 PM PDT by calex59
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To: FlingWingFlyer

Me too — at local market I moved all the US mags behind other more appealing covers, and took out a couple dozen of their mail-in subscription orders. It won’t cost them too much in postage,but will sure annoy the subscription agency they use and waste their time.

Funny thing was, a few of the US mags already were missing their mailers, and some were already moved from their specified area. Someone was there before me!

Notifying advertisers is key as well. I’ve thought that Jann Wenner pervert was a POS for eons now; would love to see his business hurt in some way.


26 posted on 09/09/2008 12:14:23 PM PDT by CaliforniaCon
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To: calex59

I’m sorry to disagree with you. Obviously, you’ve never been to Barnes & Noble or any of the other big book stores. It is and always has been a liberal tactic.


27 posted on 09/09/2008 12:15:39 PM PDT by FlingWingFlyer (McCain/Palin '08! Real change you won't have to "believe in." You'll be able to see it!!!)
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To: calex59

It’s my pesonal opinion that the advertisers won’t do anything and may not even care. Hitting them in the pocketbook with less sales will send a much bigger message.


28 posted on 09/09/2008 12:17:20 PM PDT by WestCoastGal (READ MY LIPSTICK!!!)
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To: Redbob

I e-mailed WalMart and got a canned letter that invited further conversation. I suggested they stop funding clearly partisan politics, but continue to carry the magazine if their customers want it. Got no further reply.


29 posted on 09/09/2008 12:21:55 PM PDT by Wicket (God bless and protect our troops and God bless America)
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To: Sloth

Agreed that a written complaint shows more effort, and perhaps elicits more consideration, but I think the email response gives a far better feel of just how many the story has reached.

btw, many of the companies on that list are opting not to respond, which in itself is a response (and rather contemptuous one at that).

McDonalds was the quickest, replying in about 24 hours (and this over the weekend, no less). Unfortunately, their response was a stock reply and completely unrelated to the letter. Others came in Monday, indicating good responsiveness level (during regular business hours). A few have filtered in today, and tomorrow should be the outside limit (3 business days). Some of the nonrespondents sent auto-replies acknowledging the receipt of message, but have failed to follow up as promised. Not good.

Aside from being an interesting marketing exercise, I do find myself paying attention to brands a little more closely after this little excursion. And GE is off my list for the upcoming replacement of kitchen appliances. A small gesture, but I will not support the loons at MSNBC nor their corporate parent, GE.


30 posted on 09/09/2008 12:22:14 PM PDT by xDGx
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To: timsbella
My favorite tactic is to bring to the cashiers attention the fact that the barcode on the magazine somehow got torn off..........

The typical reaction from cashiers is a grin and an "Oh, dear. I guess we'll have to throw that one away." as she tosses it into the trashcan.

31 posted on 09/09/2008 12:23:38 PM PDT by TexasNative2000 (Obviously, liberals can't handle a strong, independent woman.)
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To: timsbella
Glad to hear so many other freepers are conducting gorilla warfare against US magazine. I have been moving US to the lower shelf and covering it with a car magazine if people aren't watching. If there are lots of people around, I just cover it up with another magazine. I have also managed to shake out some of those prepaid subscription cards which I filled out

Name: Sarah Palin
Address: 1600 Pennsylvania Ave Washington DC

It will cost them a little in postage...and it lets them know that their nasty article didn't go unnoticed.

I plan to keep this up as long as US magazine is printed. I figure I will cost them thousands over the years. Glad to know I am not alone in the fight.

32 posted on 09/09/2008 12:26:07 PM PDT by goldfinch
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To: FlingWingFlyer
I’ve got to admit that these anti-Palin rags kept me busy at the local Walmart last night. LOL!!!! I didn’t turn them around, I just put a couple more America-friendly magazines in front of each one of them.

I noticed at my local Wal-Mart Neighbourhood Grocery that none of them appeared to have SOLD. Most of the other mags had few copies left, but there were a TON of these rags left.

33 posted on 09/09/2008 12:28:37 PM PDT by PosterQue (Pumped about Palin!)
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To: PosterQue

I’ve noticed that too. I believe that America is disgusted with what they are seeing coming from the left. Saying that Gov. Palin’s children were “fair game” and then attacking them wasn’t a very bright idea. Real Americans don’t do that.


34 posted on 09/09/2008 12:33:14 PM PDT by FlingWingFlyer (McCain/Palin '08! Real change you won't have to "believe in." You'll be able to see it!!!)
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To: goldfinch

“I have also managed to shake out some of those prepaid subscription cards which I filled out
Name: Sarah Palin
Address: 1600 Pennsylvania Ave Washington DC

It will cost them a little in postage...and it lets them know that their nasty article didn’t go unnoticed.”

You’re inspired! Thanks for the laugh and the idea.


35 posted on 09/09/2008 12:36:52 PM PDT by timsbella (Mark Steyn for Prime Minister of Canada! (Steve's won my vote in the meantime))
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To: xDGx

A brain dead celeb rag like US never covers anything more important that Branjelina’s latest African baby. But they do happen to be apart of Jan Wenner’s Obama-obsessed empire. I seriously doubt any advertiser expected to be involved in a political controversy when buying ads there. Given that mag ad revenue is cratering anyway, I bet they go back to inoffensive fluff pretty quick.


36 posted on 09/09/2008 1:05:00 PM PDT by Callahan
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To: jsk10
What would be effective is to take out ONE - do it quickly and efficiently...drive them under and the rest will get a hint. Just sayin’

Brilliant.......I vote Coke (starts with a "C")...and there's nothing that Coke does that Pepsi can't do better! Oh, and their 'response' above was pitiful, completely non-responsive liberal pap!

37 posted on 09/09/2008 1:08:34 PM PDT by CRBDeuce (an armed society is a polite society)
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To: PosterQue

A couple of days ago there was one copy (of the Us mag w/Palin cover) a few days later there were dozens. My guess is their little brouhaha spiked demand for that issue, and looks like they way overestimated how many people would snatch up a copy. I will wait a few weeks, then look through one to see who is still advertising in it.


38 posted on 09/09/2008 1:09:24 PM PDT by xDGx
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To: xDGx

I wonder if GE even realizes that if they sold NBC, their stock price might even start rising again! Why they continue to subsidize that Dinosaur Media midget is beyond me! NBC’s Olympics coverage was abysmall...and I can’t print what I’m thinking about PMSNBC anyway.


39 posted on 09/09/2008 1:16:26 PM PDT by CRBDeuce (an armed society is a polite society)
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To: ushr435

At my local Randalls (Houston, TX) there were NO US Weeklys at the check out stands. It looks like the store refushed the shipment or the manager refused to put them out. It was great.


40 posted on 09/09/2008 1:16:38 PM PDT by RikaStrom (The number one rule of the Kama Sutra is that you both be on the same page.../Exeter 051705)
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