Here is the response I got from Geico when I told them we would not be renewing our policy.......
If the inflammatory nature of the comments on a program overshadows our message and causes GEICO to be drawn into a national debate, we are likely to reconsider where we place our marketing messages, which is what we did.
GEICO delivers very important messages through its major marketing campaigns: we’re saving customers’ dollars, we’re easy to do business with, we’re looking out for our policyholders. That’s what we hope the public hears and sees and focuses on.
As a company, we do not take positions on controversial issues.
As an advertiser, while a national debate on issues can be healthy and appropriate, we don’t see ourselves in the role of taking part in those debates.
Our business is auto insurance. We want to bring people value and we attempt to reach large audiences with that message.
It is of little benefit to us if a program gets so much attention that our message is drowned out.
GEICO Corporate Communications
“As a company, we do not take positions on controversial issues.
As an advertiser, while a national debate on issues can be healthy and appropriate, we don’t see ourselves in the role of taking part in those debates.”
By withdrawing, they just did.
They could have sent the same message to the complainers and KEPT their ads on FOX.
This is interesting, coming from a company that purposely stimulated conversation about sufferer’s from Alzheimer’s and people with developmental disabilities.
Perhaps we’re still in the flack stage on this.