Supporting gay rights is good for business

SALON ^ | July 4 2012 | Lauren Kelley

[scottjewell]

. . . The risk-reward equation for corporate advocacy has changed over time, says Bob Witeck, president of the District-based Witeck Communications, which specializes in the gay and lesbian consumer markets.

What’s the worst thing that could happen to Kraft? A denouncement from a special-interest group like One Million Moms….

What’s the best thing?

An army of people sends your product around the Internet, and your century-old brand suddenly seems cutting-edge.

Indeed, Oreo’s “gay cookie” stunt got a lot of people who might not ordinarily be inclined to shill for one of the largest food corporations in the world to declare its love for Kraft products all over social media.

Capitalistic motivations aside, it is good news that Oreo put out that rainbow cookie image; it reinforces the fact that LGBTQ acceptance is now something close to mainstream. And it shows what little tolerance our society now has for outright bigotry.

This is a lesson the Salvation Army is learning, rather painfully, this summer. The international charity made waves earlier this month when one of its employees, Major Andrew Craibe, went on an Australian radio show and was questioned by one of the show’s gay hosts, Serena Ryan:. . . the Salvation Army is learning the lesson that Kraft obviously already knows: the tide is turning, and you have to turn with it to keep making a buck.

[scottjewell]

" the tide is turning, and you have to turn with it to keep making a buck."

I wonder if certain events - global collapse, global war - stem the tide and even reverse it?

[scottjewell]

Typo: I meant would these events stem the tide, and even reverse it?

Add to this some sort of natural disaster, or epidemic. I cannot help feeling that this whole, big, global gay agenda rode in on the wave of what Howe and Strauss call “the Unravelling”: A period based on economic prosperity, mobility, and individual identity rights. Hence, it would “ride out” on the new era: Of a return to a consensus, of renewed civic pride brought about by economic disaster and global war: I cannot believe this is anything that will truly last.

[SumProVita]

Sorry, but I don’t *buy* this nonsense. Companies are more likely to get sales by not going along with immorality.

[who knows what evil?]

...so is G-d a bigot, sodomites?

[mrpotatohead]

At the rate things are going, I’ll be able to marry my dog in the next year or two. I’ve always loved her big brown eyes.

/sarc

[scottjewell]

Well, I think there is something to it, unfortunately. However, I think that just because it is true at the current moment, does not mean it will be true 7 or 10 years from now. The saeculum of history bends toward morality.

[scottjewell]

I think “the times they are a changin’” can work both ways. Those who have jumped on this LGBTQ band wagon may be in for a big fat surprise in the coming decades.

[pops88]

“Indeed, Oreo’s “gay cookie” stunt got a lot of people who might not ordinarily be inclined to shill for one of the largest food corporations in the world to declare its love for Kraft products all over social media.”

Gee, it made me go to Trader Joe’s and buy Joe-Joe’s. They’re much better than Oreo’s. My daughter made me try one with Nuttella. Good thing I don’t get PMS any more!

[Uncle Slayton]

“You can be sure that Oreo, which is made by Nabisco, which in turn is owned by mega food corporation Kraft, knew exactly what it was getting into. Kraft knew it would rile some homophobes’ feathers but that the majority of Americans who now support same-sex marriage would hold more weight.”

That is simply not true. A know a guy who is a stocker at a grocery store and he reports that during a normal day, they would have to restock to Oreo shelf twice, but since Oreo went all gay and all, he may have to restock Oreos once a week. And for the first time every, he has found packs or Oreos in the store that have been smashed and if they are smashed, they cannot be sold.

[Stormdog]

“declare its love for Kraft products all over social media.”

Boy, we just can’t wait until Kraft comes out with “Mac & Frank”....(dripping with sarcasm)

[scottjewell]

I think the voices of dissent, angry, frustrated, simmering - are something which tells of a storm on the horizon: The ignore at their own peril, from a June article:_____________________________ "Gay OREO inspires Outrage Not everyone is happy with Oreo's support for gay rights on Facebook. Oreo did its thing for Pride Week yesterday, posting a Facebook status update with an image of a rainbow-colored Oreo cookie imposed over messages stating simply, "Proudly support love!" and "June 25/Pride." Nice, neat and to the point, and entirely unsurprisingly it attracted no small amount of publicity - some of it, sadly, rather less than complimentary. Some of the negative comments claim to be frustrated by the politicization of the cookies, but most are a bit more straight-up anti-gay, like that of Janis Petron, who wrote, "You gay people make me sick, God made us to be man and women not gay or lesbian p.s. NO MORE OREOS." Or Cody Patterson, who said, "I can't support a business that supports gays." Aaron Foster described Oreo parent company Kraft as "Yet another liberal company destroying our religious values and teaching immorality," while Trevor Day pasted himself in the face with the Frying Pan of Unintentional Irony by stating, "Gays can all go kill them selves they are sinners and will burn in hell" while rocking a Neil Patrick Harris avatar. Mads Fjord pointed out the inevitable counter-campaign boycott, telling his Facebook followers, "Hate [homosexuals] so much. So many whose skulls I want to smash in with a hammer. I thank those who support this boycott and GOD BLESS AMERICA." And yes, there is apparently some form of boycott going on, although the actual level of organization looks iffy at best - hardly a surprise to anyone who's seen the One Million Moms in action. Kraft, for its part, is unfazed, issuing a statement reiterating its support for gay rights." http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/118126-Gay-Oreo-Inspires-Internet-Outrage

[Clock King]

Supporting gay rights is good for business ONLY because it is politically correct right now. Logically, it makes sense to treat paying customers as just that, customers. Nobody knows their sexuality (what they do in the bedroom) when they walk through the door. Same with employment. I don’t care what you do on your off time (as long as it’s not illegal), just show up and give me your ‘A’ game.

[scottjewell]

Thanks for that info. Kraft and other companies may be hyping up facts for the media.

Truth and time will tell...

[Gene Eric]

Who knows what color is derived from mixing all others? Because in the end, that’s what this is all about.

[FlingWingFlyer]

Sure it is. Once I get wind of a business being a commie lib thing or supporting the commie lib agenda, I just don’t deal with them anymore. Not a boycott. Just a personal “choice” thing.

[scottjewell]

This is all just a big rush to some insane global new morality which is being ushered in by the Left: little will it last them.

“Democratic Party ushering in immoral era of abortions, same-sex marriage and open homosexuality in U.S. say traditional Christians, Jews & Muslims.”

http://billparks.newsvine.com/_news/2012/02/16/10427383-democratic-party-ushering-in-immoral-era-of-abortions-same-sex-marriage-and-open-homosexuality-in-us-say-traditional-christians-jews-muslims

[Chode]

pandering to the filthy 1%, will lose more than 1% of their business... so how is that good for business???

[JSDude1]

“What does it profit a man to gain the world, and lose his soul?”

[onedoug]

It’s obviously too much to just expect a decent product or service.

[scottjewell]

Right: Since when do companies and corporations have to take a side in the culture wars?