Lipton Foods Apologizes for Sponsoring the Dixie Chicks [Gold Medal Freep- 24hrs!!]

Unilever Foods North America ^ | March 14, 2003 | E-mail to FR ProtestOR

[ewing]

Email recieved this morning from Lipton to FR protestors: (re: Dixie Chicks Sponsorship Tour and Lipton Foods)

Thank you so much for writing!

We are writing in response to your comments regarding the Dixie Chicks 'Top of the World Tour.' We certainly apologize and are grateful you have chosen to share your thoughts.

As a manufacturer we feel it is a major responsibility to provide our friends and customers with the most creative and entertaining means of sponsorship possible.

We have a long history of presenting 'tasteful' advertising, promotional and sponsorship efforts to the public. We certainly do not wish to offend anyone. In developing our promotional efforts, Unilever and its agencies may not always anticpate all possible implications of a specific campaign.

We will certainly forward all of your comments to our marketing staff.

[hispanarepublicana]

Lubbock will take credit for the beubonic plague guy as its biggest living celebrity before Natalie Maines. Lucky for her that John Hinckley Jr. lived in Lubbock for a while. At least she won't be the "Most-Hated" Lubbock famous person.

[TLBSHOW]

bump

[Treebeard]

A little ice will help that...

[TexanToTheCore]

Lipton is very popular in the south. Generally iced tea is present at every meal down here. The Lipton sponsorship of the dixie shiksas is a problem.

[mabelkitty]

Corporations sponser concerts for goodwill and to make money.

It is now guaranteed that at the very minimum, 60% of the US population is offended. How that translates into severe losses for Lipton is unknown, but not guaranteed.

Why should they now risk their investment?

[TheLurkerX]

I wouldn't endorse anyone criticising any acting president on foreign soil during a time like this.

[CyberAnt]

Actually ... it's more than our FReeping ... it's because the business world has suddenly awakened to the fact that the LIBERALS are not the only people on the face of the earth.

And ... the business world has suddenly realized we are holding them ACCOUNTABLE for their actions. New concept for some of these people ...??

[TexanToTheCore]

ALL sposnsorhip contracts contain clauses that deal with morals and any action that will negatively imppact the name of the sponsor. The dixie shiksas have violated those clauses and it is Lipton's call now. Watch for a cancellation.

[Newbomb Turk]

My brother said the company head at the warehouse where he works just canceled a 5 semi load order with Lipton and Unilever over the Chicks comment.

I guess the boss told the Unilever rep to keep off the property until they dropped the His words " Frikkin unamerican Dixie Chicks "!

[Night Hides Not]

I think its a fair guess that they weren't really looking for an extended career into their mid 30's. They have setteld down and want a family life.

I hope you're right, but here's where I think you're wrong: after the success they've had over the past several years, there's more than just themselves to worry about. They've got managers and support staff who have joined the gravy train, and they're not likely to want the train to stop.

Although they've sold millions of records, I truly think that their net assets are not that substantial, to the point where they can maintain their current lifestyle for more than a few years.

We all know how hard it is to amass a net worth when your average tax burden is in excess of 40% or more.

The Blixie Chicks have screwed the pooch on this one. I don't think there would have been such an outcry if they made their remarks at a concert in California. However, to say such things on foreign soil is a different matter. Americans are far less forgiving after 9/11/01, which IMHO, is not a bad thing at all.

[TexanToTheCore]

Hooray for US!!!!!!!!!!!!

[ewing]

How about other US teas we can buy instead, anyone with a recommendation?

[Illbay]

I don't really doubt it, since this has been a complaint of artists for many years now.

[angcat]

They change husbands like I change my underwear. You have to see the freeloader they married.

[petitfour]

How about a little Boston Tea Party to educate the Chicks?

[Right_Rev]

You still don't get it. You do have a responsibility as a US citizen; especially in public view and more so when you are performing abroad. It comes with the position. I believe your bias is blinding your thoughts.

[myself6]

That is one of the oldest liberal arguments. Another favorite is "I’m not smart enough to answer that".

Why should we chill? What we are doing is effective.

The goal of conservatives for many years was to be left alone. To be principled in our debates, arguments and disagreements. To treat even those that disagreed with us as we would like to be treated and respect their opnion. Those attitudes got this country in the mess its in today. When you are facing an enemy like the socialists and their legion of useful idiots (Dixie chicks for example) you simply must resolve yourself to go to war.

During a time of war you disable the soldiers you are fighting because they are supporting the OTHER side. If you disable enough of the supporters you will defeat the enemy. You don’t attempt to be fair about it, you attempt to take out as much of the enemy as possible by whatever means possible. Taking out this ideological enemy is done through defending them, discrediting them, embarrassing them etc. That means ANYONE of sufficient public standing who knowingly or unknowingly hurts OUR cause must be neutralized economically and personally (reputation).

Sorry, but just as the soldier going to war must do something that he would not normally do and is against his morals (kill), we must use whatever nonviolent tactics are effective to defeat our enemy.

The "disagreement" we have with socialists is not simply a disagreement between family members, it is a REAL war for REAL freedom from REAL slavery to the state. Get used to it Tally, we have adopted the effective ideologically neutral tactics of the left. We will take a bite, lock our jaws and not let go until the enemy stops moving.

[myself6]

defending them should be DEFUNDING them.

[Ben Bolt]

And so it starts . I tip my hat off to those folks for standing on principle . Excellent !

[glory]

I have to agree with you. They have been moving more and more pop since they first debuted with Maines. And pop music fans are more forgiving and liberal than CW fans. I think they will probably be fine, they'll just abandon country music alltogether.
I heard the two sisters in the band are mad at the singer for her comments, I say what comes around, goes around and these girls are reaping what they sew when they stabbed their original singer in the back when they were pretty much told to ditch their lead singer if they wanted to get anywhere(and she was good, but apparently not "pop" enough for the label looking at them--that's when they found the big mouth and it's been history ever since).