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Lipton Foods Apologizes for Sponsoring the Dixie Chicks [Gold Medal Freep- 24hrs!!]
Unilever Foods North America ^ | March 14, 2003 | E-mail to FR ProtestOR

Posted on 03/14/2003 7:53:16 AM PST by ewing

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To: MississippiMan
"This is vague, generic garbage from Lipton. It does not apologize for the tour. It's more of a "well, we're sorry you didn't like it" statement."

I agree with you -- This is a BS "apology" if I ever saw one.

61 posted on 03/14/2003 8:55:15 AM PST by F16Fighter (March 17th -- Operation: EXTERMINATE SADDAM)
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To: ewing
Great job FReepers1 Let's keep it up! These sluts need to be run out of business! Let's not listen to the self-satisfied keyboard philosophers and cynics on this forum congratulating each other on "A voice of reason"! FReeping works, boycotts work! President Fartlett is next on the list!
62 posted on 03/14/2003 8:58:03 AM PST by Revolting cat! (Someone left the cake out in the rain I dont think that I can take it coz it took so long to bake it)
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To: Search4Truth
anti-American group "Dixie Chicks'

Explain to me again how they're 'anti-American'? Once you get to a certain status you're not allowed to have an opinion any more? Heck, she has questions about the war. I have serious questions about this war. I have questions about what this President (who I voted for, so I have the right to question) is thinking. Does that make me anti-American too?

63 posted on 03/14/2003 8:58:19 AM PST by billbears (Deo Vindice)
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To: ewing
Sounds more like a form letter to me...I don't read this as any sort of real apology.
64 posted on 03/14/2003 9:01:32 AM PST by NittanyLion
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To: billbears
"Maines told the audience earlier this week, "Just so you know, we're ashamed the president of the United States is from Texas.""

Do you share her sentiment?

She has a right to her opinion, as do I. She also has a right to use her celebrity to promote those opinions. I also have the right my opinion and to not spend my money with companies who support people who make statements like the one quoted.
65 posted on 03/14/2003 9:05:19 AM PST by Search4Truth (When a man lies, he murders part of the world.)
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To: NFifty15
I have not forgot jane fonda yet.

and I was not even born at the time
66 posted on 03/14/2003 9:07:02 AM PST by CyberCowboy777 (In those days... Every man did that which was right in his own eyes.)
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To: ewing
They should change their names to the French Whores.

I wonder if they thought yet about the tendency of dixie to not go for liberal BS? Especially country music fans. I hope their sales drop.

I'm going to buy the Darryl Worley CD Have you Forgotten (featured on Fox in the morning and Hannity and the Crypt Keeper)when it comes out - a very get Saddam pro America kind of song.

67 posted on 03/14/2003 9:08:45 AM PST by republicman
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To: FreeTally
Do they still have husbands? Multiple divorces, I believe. If there are new Mr. Chix, I'm sure they already know they are 1) cows and 2) bitches
68 posted on 03/14/2003 9:09:30 AM PST by Treebeard
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To: okchemyst
If there are new Mr. Chix, I'm sure they already know they are 1) cows and 2) bitches

How colorful. I haven't heard that kind of descriptor used since junior high...

69 posted on 03/14/2003 9:10:47 AM PST by NittanyLion
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To: NittanyLion
Words, even junior high ones like you understand can fit certain situations. Have you seen interviews or pictures of these people? "Bitch" and "cow" seem generous.
70 posted on 03/14/2003 9:19:36 AM PST by Treebeard
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To: Search4Truth
From Yahoo

That statement prompted all kinds of reactions from the American public, causing the group to further explain their stance on their official website. "We've been overseas for several weeks and have been reading and following the news accounts of our government's position," the group explains. "The anti-American sentiment that has unfolded here is astounding. While we support our troops, there is nothing more frightening than the notion of going to war with Iraq and the prospect of all the innocent lives that will be lost."

Maines also says, "I feel the President is ignoring the opinions of many in the U.S. and alienating the rest of the world. My comments were made in frustration and one of the privileges of being an American is you are free to voice your own point of view.

Do I share those sentiments? Do I have questions about the Constitutionality of the war? And considering North Korea is building missiles to reach our borders yet all the while we reopen aid to them ? Do I have questions about the war considering that even some of our 'allies' and supporters in this battle (Saudi Arabia, Egypt, etc) are sponsoring terrorism?

Yes I do. I support and pray for the troops but yes I have questions about this war. And before you start calling me Frenchie (as I am wont to see the arguments presented tend to be filled with) it has nothing to do with the UN. We should protect our national sovereignty however I still have questions of exactly how much a threat Saddam Hussein (no pictures of 9/11 either please, while tragic, the only evidence of the supposed ties we've seen is from the government, the guys wanting to fight the war remember?) is compared to some other dictators in the world

71 posted on 03/14/2003 9:20:12 AM PST by billbears (Deo Vindice)
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To: okchemyst
Words, even junior high ones like you understand can fit certain situations. Have you seen interviews or pictures of these people? "Bitch" and "cow" seem generous.

Ad hominem attacks do little to bolster your argument. Try telling me why they're wrong, instead of calling them names.

Incidentally, two of the three DC's are extremely attractive women. Not sure why you'd call them "cows".

72 posted on 03/14/2003 9:25:39 AM PST by NittanyLion
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To: billbears
Thank you for continuing the "voice of reason". Some people just can't be reasoned with, though.
73 posted on 03/14/2003 9:27:53 AM PST by FreeTally
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To: FreeTally
It's not the first time. She's been on Politically Incorrect, spouting crap, she roasted Toby Keith over his patriotic song, saying it was basically childish and juvenile, and then she does this on foreign soil, in a country where our ally Blair is already fighting for his political life against anti-war sentiment. They refused to play Bush's event when he got elected, because Natalie said they were Gore supporters. Never mind before she came on board, they played his Governor events. She's an idiot.
74 posted on 03/14/2003 9:29:27 AM PST by TheLurkerX ("When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro..." Hunter S. Thompson)
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To: NittanyLion
Ad hominem attacks do little to bolster your argument. Try telling me why they're wrong, instead of calling them names.

That's exactly why I try to stay away from any thread having to do with Iraq and the possible war. Few make arguments, and most just attack. The name calling of the Dixie Chicks is very uncalled for. Some people such as Baldwin, Clinton or Streissand deserve some of the name calling, but not these ladies.

75 posted on 03/14/2003 9:30:16 AM PST by FreeTally
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To: TheLurkerX
So flippin what. People need to seriously chill.
76 posted on 03/14/2003 9:31:12 AM PST by FreeTally
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To: FreeTally
So what? I'm just pointing out you're wrong, and what she did is close to being treasonous. At least most of the other halfwit celebs have the sense to exercise their free speech rights in this country, and not on foreign soil. By the by, while you're defending her right to say whatever, and not be crucified for it, you're doing a pretty good job of putting people down in here for saying what they think. Bit of a double standard, if you ask me.
77 posted on 03/14/2003 9:34:40 AM PST by TheLurkerX ("When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro..." Hunter S. Thompson)
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To: billbears
Yours are all reasoned concerns, some of which I share. Reasonable men can disagree. But that is not what these anti-American celebrity shills are doing. They are making personal attacks on our Commander in Chief at a time of war, and obfuscating the truth. It is their Free Speech right to do so. It is also my right to express my objection by using the same Free Speech and with my dollars. It is additionally my right to organize with others to this purpose.

Reminds me of the saying, “The best response to Free Speech, is more Free Speech”. The process is working, as it should.

God bless America that we are even having these discussions.
78 posted on 03/14/2003 9:34:50 AM PST by Search4Truth (When a man lies, he murders part of the world.)
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To: FreeTally
That's exactly why I try to stay away from any thread having to do with Iraq and the possible war. Few make arguments, and most just attack.

The way in which these folks try to make their case is so over-the-top sometimes I find myself arguing against my beliefs, just because I can't agree with the tone of their ridiculous posts.

79 posted on 03/14/2003 9:37:54 AM PST by NittanyLion
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To: FreeTally; ewing; AmericanInTokyo; The Wizard; Illbay; billbears; lonestar; SquirrelKing; ...
This "boycott" nonsense consists mostly of people who didn't listen to them/like them in the first place and a small portion of their fan base. I doubt they care what anyone here thinks.

I happen to have a fair amount of experience with celebrity branding, and I can tell you why you're mistaken.

This isn't about the Dixie Chicks. They became irrelevant when the story broke.

Lipton and The Dixie Chicks have a co-branding arrangement. Someone at Lipton, or one of their agencies, recognized the base that the Dixie Chicks appeal to as under-represented on Lipton's desired range of demographic. This might be southerners, middle income women, country music listeners, it doesn't matter. Lipton 'bought' the Chicks, much as they'd buy radio time.

As such, Lipton contracted with the Chicks such that Lipton would be well represented and both would prosper. Lawyers write contracts to cover unseen but later-litigable circumstances as 'other considerations of value'. Contracts are written with 'performance clauses' and 'good faith' clauses too. More on that in a moment.

Lipton's contributions to the tour may not have been cash. It may have been the underwriting of expenses or promotional consideration, ie. tradebacks with TV, radio, venues, or newspaper ads. In any case they viewed their association with the Chicks as an opportunity to have their brand favorably presented in a market they might otherwise not have access to. Branding is all about favorable, reinforceable perceptions.

I will tell you from experience this is very hard to establish, but once in place, not so difficult to maintain (if you're competent, that is).

To use the industry parlance, the Chicks are, at the moment, 'toxic'. No sponsor will consider them going forward until this 'problem' is fixed, and maybe not even then.

Even if that were the only case, it might not be enough to sink them. Their 'brand' among their fans remains intact and some people will buy their music no matter what.

However, Lipton may be able to prove that the Chicks, by drawing negative attention to themselves and thus to Lipton, have inalterbly severed the contractual bond. Lipton may well be able to sue and recover all monies paid to date, as well as damages. This is of no small concern. Such contracts can run in excess of a few million dollars, and if you add damages to that, it ain't chump change.

Every email and phone call, every dismissive remark and boycott by a radio station puts leverage in the hands of Lipton, and takes away the Dixie Chicks' leverage.

I would encourage each and every one of us to continue to press Lipton.

One last thing. If you think that these women have the right to prance around the world and speak ill of the US, I suppose that's an argument. But I would opine that going on foreign soil and criticizing your government in a time of crisis gives aid and comfort to our enemies, and emboldens the enemy to foment more such unrest. This is of no small consequence to me as I have close friends and family either overseas or ready to go. In my view the Chicks' "free speech" is treasonous.

And Tally, these are not 'ladies' in any sense of the word I've ever heard used.

80 posted on 03/14/2003 9:39:21 AM PST by IncPen
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