December 07, 2005

The American Family Association (AFA) has a long history of failed boycotts. As Carpetbagger points out (via Kevin Drum), each company they boycotted saw increased revenues. The myth pushed by several blogs, including Carpetbagger's, is that Ford was the only company to give in to their demands.

The AFA launched a nine-year boycott of Disney, for example, during which time none of the group's demands were met and the company enjoyed a surge in profits. The AFA also launched boycotts against Crest toothpaste, Volkswagen, Tide detergent, Clorox bleach, Pampers, MTV, Abercrombie & Fitch, K-Mart, Burger King, the Carl's Jr. hamburger chain, Kraft Foods, Mary Kay Cosmetics, Old Navy stores, NutriSystem, and American Airlines. Late last year, the AFA went after the movie "Shark Tale," because the group believed the movie was designed to brainwash children into accepting gay rights. Then, it was American Girl dolls. Then it was Target for its lack of the word "Christmas" in its advertising. The whole thing is pretty embarrassing, but the AFA just keeps doing it.

So, in June, when the AFA went after Ford Motor Company for its support of the "homosexual agenda," the company was supposed to just blow it off. Instead, it's doing what the AFA demands.
[Ford, where backing down to nutcases is Job One - Carpetbagger - 12-06-05]

Ford is "doing what the AFA demands?" That doesn't account for one glaring factual ommision that sets Ford apart from the other companies boycotted by the AFA. Ford's "business decision" to no longer advertise in gay publications comes as Ford announced significant losses.

Over the past year, Ford's pretax profits in North America have fallen from almost $1.8 billion in the first nine months of 2004 to a loss of nearly $2.2 billion for the same period in 2005.
[Ford's fix-it plan - Detriot News - 12-07-05]

Most bloggers prefer to claim Ford is giving in to threats of boycott rather than reassessing their marketing plan. The fact is gays simply aren't buying their product with the supposed half a billion dollars they spend every year. The less room gays give Ford to reassess their marketting strategy on how to best win gay customers, the less likely it is Ford will resume advertising to a radioactive market trying to hold them hostage.