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.

[Ditto]

Don't worry, the Dixie Chicks sold out their May show in Austin in two Hours! That is 18,000 people paying $50.00 a ticket to see the Chicks play. Do the math $900,000! And that is just for one show in Austin.

I understand, and I have heard that they sold out everywhere. This could be their last tour if they don't "fix" their problem, however. And just imagine that by May we should have Saddam crushed, have all of his weapons and all of his records, and countless accounts of his murders.

Here's a question. How much money do the lose if people don't show for the concert. Where does the "artist" make the bucks on a tour? Ticket sales? or stuff sold at the concert --- CDs. tee shirts, posters and other stuff. I'm not sure myself, but I had heard that they typically make more on that junk than they do off the ticket sales which everyone from the promoter to the venue gets a big cut of. The "trinkets is where I understand they make the big bucks. I could be wrong however.

[wardaddy]

Local Nashville media is finally all over this.

Given the incestuous relationship between the local media and the record industry here...that's a big step.

[Ditto]

Local Nashville media is finally all over this.

I don't know the music industry very well, but that can't be good for the chicks. They just might want to stay in Europe.

[uncitizen]

I could also be wrong, but my understanding was that the concerts were just part of the campaign to sell the CD.

[wardaddy]

Yes..indeed...Nashville is loathe to dump on it's "industry".

They took heat on all the local TV reports tonight.

I'm pleased.

[Station 51]

The bottom line is that the DC's will walk away from this tour with millions. The tickets have already been bought and as much as I do not agree with their statement, I unlike many Freepers realize that Lipon and Sony will not pull out of the tour and that The Dixie Chicks will not be arrested for Treason upon their re-entry into the States. They simply expressed an opinion that by all accounts is held by at least 75% of the British Population. They were simply preaching to the choir.

Now perhaps if the band was from Iraq and were called the Baghdad Chicks and had voiced their opposition to Saddam while in London they would be arrested and maybe even killed. However, in Iraq there is no such think as a Bill or Rights for the people and that is what makes America a much better plane than Iraq. Now, if some people advocate the punishment of those who speak out against the War and the President, they should petition the government to abolish the Constitution and establish a military dictatorship where voices of opposition would be tolerated.

[Extremist]

After being shunned by music fans, Natalie tries her hand at television...

[wardaddy]

The cuntry side of pop/cuntry fans aren't going to forget this easily.

I used to be fairly friendly with their main songwriter and producer a few years back. I bet those two wish she would shut her fat pie hole.

The words are out...hanging in the air for all to listen to ad nauseum. They'll never recover from this.

It'll give them something to bitch about forever.

[uncitizen]

We need O'Reilly to get behind this boycott right away!

[Station 51]

They'll never recover from this.

The Beatles recoved from saying "We are more Popular than Jesus Christ." People will forget and the Dixie Chicks will continue to make millions.

[Ditto]

Where in the hell are you coming from? Who said anything about aresting them. You are right, in Iraq, they would be raped then murdered for dissing Saddam. Here, we just quit giving them money. It's capitalism at work, bub.

[wardaddy]

I disagree.

Cuntry fans are not 60s era British Invasion hysteric teenaged girls....although admittedly the Chicks do have some of those in their fanbase.

And Lennon was quick to amend those remarks....with George Martin and Brian Epstein slapping him silly I imagine.

Lots of entertainemnt fools are feeling the heat for their constitutional right to voice their opinion.

It's a good thing.

[Extremist]

After their battle with Sony, I believe they ended up with a small percentage of record sales and the lions share of concert proceeds. I hate to see the sisters suffer if this statement only reflected the sentiment of the whart-hog from hell. They need to speak up fast though, because they will all three soon become roast chicken. Here in Texas, people with Natalie's treasonous views are only safe in one place....AUSTIN; and it is quickly turning Conservative!

[PhilDragoo]

They should change their names to the French Whores.

You get an A for that.

[ilgipper]

Freetally, this more than a 'slip of the tougue'. First they criticized the 9-11 rememberance song by Toby Keith, saying that he 'shamed' country music. Then, announcing on stage that they are ashamed of the President, during war, in a foreign country. That is a pattern that will be noted by many, and not forgotten.

[Station 51]

Not you, but others on this thread have stated that the Dixie Chicks should be charged with Treason.

[Stone Mountain]

In my view the Chicks' "free speech" is treasonous.

C'mon... this is the kind of hyperbolic statement that we complain about when the liberals do it. This isn't even close to being treason, and calling is that is similar to spurious claims of "rape" after a verbal insult.

[Extremist]

To quote Mr. Keith, "We'll put a boot in your a$$, its the American way!"
Unfortunately, the boot would most likely be lost in Natalie's cavernous a$$.

[PhilDragoo]

Les Trois Poules Françaises

[Station 51]

Lots of entertainemnt fools are feeling the heat for their constitutional right to voice their opinion.

It's a good thing.

So people should be free to express their constitutional right to voice their opinion as long as that opinion is approved by wardaddy?

Great, so what is going to happen when a Democrat is elected president and Freepers express their constitutional right to voice their opinion? Will we feel the heat or will wardaddy's rules then change?