Verizon, Lowe's, Johnson & Johnson, 13 more drop Glenn Beck

Our campaign calling on Glenn Beck's advertisers to stop supporting his show continues to pick up steam. Today we're announcing that sixteen more companies have pledged not to run their ads on Beck's show:

The new companies distancing themselves from Beck include Airware Inc. (makers of Brez anti-snoring aids), Ancestry.com, AT&T, Blaine Labs Inc., Campbell Soup Company, Clorox, Ditech, The Elations Company, Experian (creator of FreeCreditReport.com), Farmers Insurance Group, Johnson & Johnson (makers of Tylenol), Lowe's, NutriSystem, Sprint, The UPS Store and Verizon Wireless.

That brings the total to 36 companies that have pulled their support from Beck or given explicit instructions that their ads are not to run on the show. It's all because more than 160,000 ColorOfChange members connected the dots for Glenn Beck's advertisers and called on them to stop supporting his show. We want to say thank you to everyone who's participated in this campaign.

We could also use your help. We brought on additional staff for the campaign in order to drive as many advertisers away as possible. We need to keep them in order to maximize the number of advertisers that drop Beck and to make sure none come back. Anything you can provide will help us get there -- whether $10, $20, $50, or more. You can make a contribution to help move the campaign forward, here.

More on how the campaign has been going, and statements from the new companies distancing themselves from Beck, after the jump. Demanding accountability

After we first launched this campaign, our staff began contacting advertisers to convey the concerns of our members and ask advertisers to stop supporting Beck. Most advertisers decided to do the right thing after hearing about what Beck is doing, and that so many people are concerned about it. Some needed evidence of the level of outrage, so we flooded with comments from people that signed the petition to advertisers. Others needed a picture of what it would look like for their company's name and brand to be publicly associated with Beck's rhetoric, so we showed them that, too.

Then there were those that refused to answer our calls or respond to our emails. Red Lobster, Vonage, Clorox, Lowe's, and Experian fell into that category, and we asked some of our members to give them a call.

By the end of last week, ColorOfChange members made more than 2,800 calls to those five companies, and in just two days, three out of the five -- Experian, Clorox, and Lowe's -- pulled their ads. We're still waiting to hear if Red Lobster or Vonage have changed their minds, and we'll follow up with them this week.

Here are statements from the advertisers recently distancing themselves from Beck:

"...Sprint ads appeared as part of a broader rotational package of advertising purchased on the Fox Network," said Kathleen Dunleavy, a Sprint spokesperson, in an email to ColorOfChange.org. "They were not specifically targeted to the Glenn Beck Show nor should they air during this program going forward."

"...I wanted to let you know that we have taken steps to make sure that [Sprint] will not be advertising on the Glenn Beck show," Dunleavy later reiterated in a phone message to ColorOfChange.org.

"While we will continue to advertise on news programming, including FOX News, there are certain programs on the FOX Network that do not meet Lowe's advertising guidelines, including The O'Reilly Factor and Glenn Beck Program," said Meliski Cox, a spokesperson for Lowe's, in an email to ColorOfChange.org.

"Per our advertising standards, we don't advertise in programs that display exploitive sex or violence, treat ethnic, religious, or political groups in a disparaging manner, present facts inaccurately or distort them to blatantly partisan advantage, and treat individuals or groups in a demeaning manner", said Adam Oberweiser, a spokesperson for Clorox, in a phone message to a ColorOfChange.org member. "We have had limited advertisements on the Glenn Beck Program in the past, however the statements he made during that show would not adhere to our programming standards. Furthermore, we will not be advertising on his program in the future since he did violate our own advertising standards."

"We have addressed the issue," said Rich Hallibran, a spokesperson for The UPS Store, in a phone message to ColorOfChange.org. "You will not see our ads on The Glenn Beck TV program."

"We are no longer advertising on Beck's program," said Susan McGowan, Senior Director of Public Relations at NutriSystem, Inc., in an email to ColorOfChange.org. "You can now include us with the other companies that have stopped advertising."

In a phone conversation with ColorOfChange.org, a spokesperson for AT&T, Daryl Evans, said that their company already had Beck's program on a 'Do Not Air' list for their ads, and if an advertisement was seen during 'Glenn Beck' it was placed in error. Evans pledged to call Fox News and correct that error.

In a phone conversation with ColorOfChange.org, Marcy Smith, Director of Advertising for Experian Consumer Direct, confirmed that due to the number and frequency of complaints they have received, they have specifically asked Fox News to pull any of their ads from Glenn Beck's program and distribute their ads to other shows in the rotation.

"We obviously neither condone nor endorse Mr. Beck's comments," said Anthony Sanzio, a Campbell Soup Company spokesman, in a phone conversation with ColorOfChange.org. "We were not pleased when we heard them [the comments] and they certainly don't reflect the views of this company. We have no advertising currently slated for Mr. Beck's program and don't have any plans for the future."

"In light of the consistency of comments that are made, we don't plan to advertise there in the future," Sanzio continued. "We have communicated to our media buying agency that we will not be advertising on that show."

"Thank you for bringing this to our attention," said Marc Monseau, Director of Corporate Communications for Johnson & Johnson, in an email to ColorOfChange.org. "These advertisements ran on Glenn Beck as part of a rotational advertising package on Fox News, and I have shared your thoughts with those in our organization responsible for making those rotational buys. We have now informed the network to not include it in our rotation moving forward."

In a phone conversation with ColorOfChange.org, Jim Gerace, Vice President of Corporate Communications for Verizon Wireless, confirmed that they added Beck's show to its "Do Not Air" list based on Beck's controversial track record. "We, on our own, looked at where we're spending our advertising," Gerace said. "We made a decision that we don't want to be advertising on that program for a lot of reasons."

"We hear your concerns and are no longer advertising on the Glenn Beck show," said Cindy Thomas, Chief Marketing Officer for Ditech, in a phone message to ColorOfChange.org.

"Ancestry.com buys television advertising on many networks, including Fox News, but does not sponsor any specific content or program," said Mike Ward, Public Relations Director for Ancestry.com, in an email to ColorOfChange.org. "However, once this issue surfaced, we instructed Fox News to exclude our advertisements from the Glenn Beck program."

"I wanted to let you know that AirWare Inc., the manufacturer of Brez anti-snoring aids, has instructed its advertising agency to insure that none of our advertisements run on the Glenn Beck show," said David Green, Director of Public Relations for AirWare, Inc., in an email to ColorOfChange.org. "Because of the way TV advertising is purchased, company executives were not aware in advance that our ads would be running on the show."

"We have requested that the ads not appear on the Glen [sic] Beck show," said Dr. Robert Blaine, President and CEO of Blaine Labs, Inc., in an email to ColorOfChange.org. "Our contract is essentially a, 'fill in where there is empty space', [sic] and lately, I guess there has been a lot of empty space on the Beck show due to your organization. Our new contract comes up sometime in September and that show will be stricken from the rotation. We do not support [G]lenn [B]eck and do not support his show."

"What we did last Thursday was our advertising department requested of Fox News Channel that they no longer place a portion of our ads on the Glenn Beck Program [sic]," said a spokesperson for Farmers Insurance Group in a phone message to ColorOfChange.org.

"Just want to let you know that we will no longer be advertising on that [Glenn Beck's] program," said David Silver, a spokesperson for The Elations Company.

Moving forward

We are dedicated to moving this effort forward, and we'll be calling on you to help--whether it's making focused calls to other advertisers, signing another petition, or doing some other action that will get us closer to exposing what Beck represents and marginalizing his voice.

Today, though, financial support is what we need most. A contribution from you -- whether $5, $10, $20, or more -- will help us maintain the staff we've brought on to help with this effort. We know that for some folks it's a hard time to give, but if there's any possibility you can make a donation, please do so. This is a time we can really use your support, and it will help us keep the pressure on. Click here to donate.

 

Comments

[ilse]

People like glen beck, sara palin, dick cheney, etc. need to be put on an island like Madagascar and let them spew hatred toward one another. The further away we put these low lifes the better off we are. Keep America clean.....get rid of the filth.

[norbitjr]

Homework assignment:

Who's Funding Color of Change?

[Craig Orrell]

No Doubt!!! It is a sham and Beck is uncovering it!

[Jazzman323]

Do people here think it is right for Obama Green Czar [avowed communists, radical] Van Jones to use his website ColorsOfChange to lead a boycott on the advertisers of The Glenn Beck Show??

Is the government supposed to do this? Is the green issue really the far left socialist agenda the right said it was?

Glenn Beck will still be on Fox News, and those who support this will be seen as the anti-free speech zealots that they are.

Have fun.

[ReedYoung]

"Van Jones (Co-founder, inactive). While Van hasn't been active in the work of ColorOfChange in recent years, we are proud of where his work las led him. ..."

http://colorofchange.org/about.html
#1 result from Google search:
site:color­ofchange.o­rg van jones

[norbitjr]

Great!
More people will be curious & we'll see who's telling the tryth about things & who's trying to deceive!

[BuckCarson]

Rucker, your campaign is drawing more attention to Beck. Your campaign is also increasing the price and revenue to the Glenn Beck show. Your campaign is welcomed by all at the Fox News company.

[brokenpony]

Freedom of speech is only one right being punished. You are overlooking Freedom of the Press. When Constituional rights are ignored, and Opposition is threatened what you are dealing with is a despotic form of government. All these things are happening, though you may be missing it as it happens. Read your Declaration of Independence, second paragraph. It tells you what to do about it.

[ReedYoung]

Glenn Beck's right to free speech is not being infringed. The monies paid to him are a privilege he must earn from his employer, News Corporation. Its advertising revenues are likewise a privilege that News Corporation must earn from those who want to advertise to consumers of its products, which includes Fox News and the Glenn Beck program. And those advertisers must earn their money from people, each of whom is completely within our right to boycott whatever we want for any reason we like. We have exercised our freedom of speech more effectively than you have and we are winning, yet again. Dry your eyes.

Intimidation and other infringement of rights such as you describe has indeed occurred, but it has all been perpetrated by Republicans and affiliated corporatists, especially the Koch family's abomination of a "political philosophy" known as "libertarianism," not by Liberals.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/08/07/obama-allied-unions-threa_n_254204.html
http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Koch_Industries
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/8/21/770551/-Lobbyists-Intimidation-Tactics-No-Laughing-Matter

[GeriNV]

I do not listen to Mr. Beck, but now I find myself supporting him based on the censureship I see unfairly dogging his free speech. American was born on free speech, this is crazy. This issue will further divide Americans. I will be boycotting all the companies you list as attempting to censure Mr. Beck. Having given Obama money for his campaign, I will now write a very large check to Mr. Beck in support of his free speech. Money I normally give to Obama will be diverted to support free speech. I will throw my support behind free speech regardless of who is speaking....
I am writing all of those companies to let them know that I will take my money to all the people who didn't try to halt free speech.

[john88]

Thank you, well said. I also do not listen or watch Mr Beck, but he has every right to speak, 1st amendment says so.

[DrBuzz]

Methinks that credibility is stretched when one claims to have donated to President Obama's campaign, and that same person is going to send money to a person who called President Obama a racist and a hater of whites. Does Beck have the right to free speech? Absolutely. Do I have an obligation to buy products from people who support his diatribes? Absolutely not. There is only one way this train of thought is going to end -- a trainwreck. I will not be an enabler.

Hatred, Glenn Beck is thy name -- and while I believe I have a social responsibility to avoid his supporters (economically and physically), you may not share that view of social responsibility. That's your right. Maybe you can but a microsecond of airtime. But if you think that it is believable that you sent money to President Obama's campaign, and now will support this "entertainer" -- um, no.

[camanokat]

Agreed he is entitled to speak his opinion. I choose not to support his type of speech.

[Jaxy]

Free Speech is one thing. Hate Speech that is intended to stir up the never-far-­from-the-s­urface embers of racial animus and hatred that have been so prevalent in this culture is quite another.

Glenn Beck claimed that the President, for the simple reason that he wanted to make healthcare availbale to all Americans, a racist a person who has "a deep-seated hatred of white people and white culture". This is a lie. It is a false, ad hominem attack that did not address the issue at hand - healthcare reform - but which was aimed at ginning up the blind, homicidal rage of the stereotypical "angry white voter".

So no, I do not support Glenn Beck, and I never will. I have no respect for those who seek to maliciously destroy and rend the fabric of American unity.

[mahonpe]

BUt you will support a politically backed and allied group who is asking for funds from people to help destroy another person. Isn't that like saying it is ok if you do mean things because you are on the side of right?
Rember many many things that have cause suffering to other people have been done in the name of a rightous cause!

[Terry Collins]

Glenn Beck developed the racist theme as a result of Obama supporting the race bating of Gates without any background information in his arrest, it had nothing to do with the health care. The only ones seeking to destroy the fabric of "American unity" would be this administration.

[SunnyinOregon]

Many people, from both sides of the aisle, feel that Mr. Obama could NOT have sat in a Black Liberation Theology "Church" for 20 years and listen to the hateful spewing of anti-American, anti-Jew, anti-White people garbage from Rev. Wright, unless he had similar viewpoints. The very essence of Wrights church is based on Racism. When Mr. Obama, without any FACTS, took the side of his professor buddy and said the Cambridge Police Dept. acted STUPIDLY, he sealed his fate. Mr.Obama does have Race issues! Like it or not. So did Richard Nixon. Many Presidents have had Racist opinions. It's not a shocker!

[MathIsTruth]

This has nothing to do with free speech. Do you have a "right" to say anything you want on prime time nationally broadcast television? Of course not. Beck's "rights" to be on TV start and end with business decisions by his employer.

Beck is a dishonest demagogue. No one should be paying Beck to spread his hate. He certainly DOES, however, have a freedom of speech right to spread hate on his own dime.

[mahonpe]

You do not have to give him your dime, but where do you believe that and organization has the right to bully others into doing what they think is right. I support your right to disagree with Beck, and all people outhere in this world are some sort of a "IST". But when "IST" get into an organized group of any kind to ban together against someone is wrong.

[RaderBarbarian]

Now please let us know who is STILL advertising on the Beck Show so we will know who to target personally and to boycott totally. To withdraw advertising is fine, to continue advertising with Beck after being informed that they need to reconsider - for THOSE advertisers their decision needs to be deadly for them - and we can make it so!

[ammydell]

Yes, please let us know, so we can contact them and let them know we will continue to support them. Beck didn't call Obama a racist just because of Gatesgate. Read his books. Obama has been a racist for along time. Quote after quote after quote. Oh, and don't forget the loving Rev. Wright. No racism there either. Wake up people.

[spartacus7502]

Freedom of speech, describes the right to speak freely without fear of retribution from the government. Capitalism is the free flow of capital to those goods or services that can generate the best return.

Both of these ideals are central GOP positions. Beck is till free to speak. The government has not mussled him.

Becks product may have to find a lower price, to attract advertisers. It may be more adventagious for Becks 2.5 million supporters to purchase the advertising space themselves. That way they can continue to here the truth exactly the way they wan't it. Just cutout the middle man.

[texasradio]

Man that's Rich!

Be sure and keep us posted on all the other companies that jump on board this boycott of one of the HIGHEST RATED shows on TV.

Disenfranchise the masses!

We NEED to know who's products we shouldn't be buying!

[texasradio]

Man That's Rich!
Keep us all posted on other companies that jump on board boycotting one of the highest rated shows on TV...

Disinfranchise the masses, this will help folks decide which products NOT TO BUY!

[freespeecher]

What was historic about the past election? was it obama`s inexperience or was it because the color of his skin?...whose racist now? Whose your Nanny Now?

[Jaxy]

What wasn't historic about the past election? And if you are able to see beyond the me-and-my-­kind-only-­are-entitl­ed mentality, feel free to educate us on your steemed findings.

[valboski]

color of change is an activist group and within their rights to call sponsors,but I have called some of them to find they are not going to advertise on any cable news programs so Olbermann, Anderson Cooper, etc will be losing sponsors too.

[helgathewitch]

So Beck, the rotten egg, spoiled it for everyone!

[AprilPA]

Yep. MSNBC and CNN are going to lose a few sponsors as well as Fox News because of Beck.

[SunnyinOregon]

No, Glenn Beck did not "destroy it for everyone." The ColorofChange , and OTHERS, did. They tried to hurt Glenn Beck (it backfired BIG TIME) and in the process have hurt all Liberal Talk Shows who are already in the toilet as far as ratings go! Karma is a *tich!!

[ReedYoung]

And I will be sure to continue to boycott those who are treating the innocent the same as the guilty. It's unlikely I'm the only one.

[gilrex11]

Glenn Beck got what he deserved...just becuz you have freedom of speech doesnt mean you can yell fire......well you know the rest.. Calling the president a racist shows his ignorance and his ingratitude in being an american. Watch out Hannity and Rush

[mahonpe]

What part of being an American is it to want the crushing of your nieghbor, for something he said about someone else. When do we stop the crushing, and if we don't stop it where do we get to go to sign up, you won't believe some of the things that have been hatefully posted in poison on this space.
So I am with you lets' get out our crushers a squash us some people and groups that have said some mean things. It is our Gods' given right to bring the crushing on all those that have speech we do not like. I THINK???

[SunnyinOregon]

LOL! Glenn Beck DID get what he deserves. The HIGHEST RATINGS OF ANY CABLE SHOW!!

Go Glenn!!

[chemaupr]

This is so funny! A “press” organization trying to boycott someone else freedom of speech, just because they do not agree with his views.

I watch news MSNBC, CNN and Fox… I spent a good 1 ½ every day flipping between channels or some days I just watch one show over the other. I want all of this organizations and shows to stay in the Air. Why? Not a single one of them owns the truth and you need to watch them all to see what is going on. If you pick one network over the other then you are just submitting to some else truth and becoming dumber by the day. We need people with dissenting point of views, period. While Glenn is far from being a Galileo or Prophet…. just imagine if this “crazy hacks” have not existed in history. Remember, they are not recognized by most until history judge them right. And right know history is judging in Glens favor. Even before WE voted Obama into office he predicted the trillions deficits, and we call him cazy, even before the first Auto bailout was negotiated under Busch was passed he predicted, government taking US Auto industry and we call him cazy.

Do your self a favor Huffingtonpost spent as much time as Glenn in discussing the issues what ever your view is that I care, not if 2800 people called to boycott the show. Probably 2800 people that didn’t watch the show in the first place…

[Eris23]

How are they boycotting freedom of speech?

[mahonpe]

It is pretty easy they may not be trying to actually take away his right of free speech they a trieing to stifle it. I do not like what you said so I, go to your place of work and protest you there, then on to your landlord,phone company, internet provider. Then I move on to stores that serve you, all the way vilifieing you to everyone along the way. Anyone who trys to defend you or what you have said will get the same treatment.

You may say that this can't or doesn't happen but sorry it is happening right now and the organization that is doing this is asking people to send them money so they can keep it up. You will stand up for it to be done to another Guess you have to lie down when it is done to you or some one you know Right?