Lowe's Finds No Publicity IS BAD Publicity On TLC's "All-American Muslims"

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How many idiots does it take to screw in a light bulb? If by “light bulb” you mean Lowe's good will, and by “screw in” you mean to just straight screw, then the answer is: all those in the company's media-buying department. The “brightest” bulbs in said department decided to yank company advertising from a show on the TLC network called “All-American Muslim”, a reality program following the lives of five Muslim families going about their daily life in Dearborn, Michigan. The
Detroit Free Press
says Lowe's pulled its commercials that were running during the show when a conservative group known as the Florida Family Association emailed the company and other advertisers to stop patronizing the Muslims. I can understand companies pulling their advertising when the issue deserves it. Many companies did so when Tiger Woods' tumultuous relationship with his wife became public. What this writer fails to understand is how some executives (supposedly worth their reserved company parking spot) reached the conclusion that good business sense is to heed an email that solicits corporate action through this gem of an argument: The show amounts to “propaganda that riskily hides the Islamic agenda's clear and present danger to American liberties and traditional values.” I read this and imagine it, for a moment, printed on the stationary of
Pastor Terry Jones
, the concerned man of the cloth behind Burn-a-Quran Day. But I have a feeling I'd be offending Mr. Jones. Let us not beat on the “concerned” members of the Florida Family Association too much. In the words of Jesus, “they know not what they do.” It is Lowe's decision makers that should have known better. So, what did they have to say following their questionable actions? The Detroit Free Press quoted a Lowe's statement that said, “Lowe's has received a significant amount of communication on this program, from every perspective possible. Individuals and groups have strong political and societal views on this topic, and this program became a lighting rod for many of those views. As a result we did pull our advertising on this program. We believe it is best to respectfully defer to communities, individuals and groups to discuss and consider such issues of importance.” In other words, Lowe's bowed to “they who know not what they do.” As a result of their actions, the company has itself become a lightning rod for public opinion. Crowd-pulling VIPs like hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons, actress Mia Farrow and a state senator from California were early protesters of the company's action, according to
New York Daily News
. As coverage piled on, every late night show host on national television joined in--such gaffes are the geese with the golden eggs for them. Even as I drove to work this morning, do-it-yourself morning hosts were waging a boycott of the home improvement giant all across the airwaves. Will this hurt Lowe's in the long term? The company is not likely to get any TLC (tender loving care--get it?) from the public in the ensuing days as this controversy burns itself out. But it is hoped, and indeed prayed upon by shareholders, that wiser heads will prevail within the company to handle the situation better going forward. A more carefully worded statement, in which the company should effectively eat its words and actions, would be good start. It would ideally be followed by a committed fund to some type of interfaith community relations initiative... you know, the type that proper [as opposed to Lowe's current] PR people think up when it's time for a good old-fashioned digging of one's company out from the ditch. But, alas, the company is sticking to its guns so far, if we believe
MSNBC
. I give it a couple of days. LOW closed down 1.12 percent at $24.69 per share on Monday.
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Posted In: NewsRetail SalesPre-Market OutlookGeneralDetroit Free Pressmia farrowMSNBCnew york daily newsPastor Terry Jonesrussell simmonsWashington Post
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