Woke up this morning and since I never watch O'Reilly I was stunned to learn that BMW funds his show.
I read the front page material, watched a couple of clips, and fired off the email below the fold to the contact I got here on DKOS.
I think boycotts and the threat of them need to be used selectively, but if the kind of vitriol that O'Reilly and Coulter put out every day is to be curbed, or ended, we do have to make a stand.
Thanks to the people on this site who monitor these things and make doing the right thing so easy. I mean, this only took about 10 minutes of my morning.
Good morning Ms. Molten,
I have been driving BMW 3 series cars for 25 years. When an unseen icy patch in the road threw my 320i into a spin and a complete vertical flip I opened my driver side door and walked away completely uninjured despite the fact that the car was totalled. The door still opened without effort. I lived out of my E36 325i for a month touring Canada. After I put 260,000 miles on that car I sold it to a good friend because I knew it still had life left in it. Right now I have a 2001 330i which I plan to drive for 10 years and then replace after about 250,000 miles. So far my 330i has not had a single significant repair expense, only routine maintenance for 130,000 miles. Four of my neighbors have bought BMW's after seeing mine and listening to me.
I love my BMWs. Sometimes I have thoughts of buying a 6 series. Sometime in 2010-11 I will be looking for a new car. I hope by then that BMW has some kind of plug in hybrid or other vehicle that will be more eco friendly than the current line. I hope to start my search for a new car with whatever BMW has equivalent to the 3's I have driven for over 25 years.
But this morning I found out that BMW is a sponsor, perhaps the most common sponsor of Bill O'Reilly. Please stop supporting this show and shows of its ilk.
I understand that a company has to advertise to many different audiences. I understand that you can't be sitting there worrying about the political bias or slant of this show or that show. But Mr. O'Reilly is beyond the pale. If you want to advertise to a conservative audience there are many options for you that don't involve the kind of interpersonal venom, conscious factual inaccuracy and plain old fashioned rudeness that he personifies. I urge you stop financing his kind of "journalism." It is inconsistent with your corporate image. BMW has always had a certain style and elegance, from the architecture of your headquaters to the kidney grills. Funding O'Reilly makes me imagine a big bird dropping right on the hood of my car. You can do better.
I invite you to take a look at the clips that must be pouring in to you now. When you decide that O'Reilly is not a show you want to support you will not be alone. You will not even be the first company to reconsider supporting this show. Please take a look at this letter appended at the end of this email.
Let me be very clear. I love your cars. But, if you continue to fund BillO I will buy another company's product when I replace my car. I will stop singing its praises to my neighbors. I have done this once before in my life. I stopped buying any product from Browning, a boycott I have maintained for 12 years since they sponsored a political ad that was full of untruths. It was not the political bent of the ad that offended me, it was the overt lies within it. It is not the conservatism of Mr. OReilly that offends me, it is his behavior. You can do better. Thanks.
Sincerely,
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Replied On 07/27/07 15:41:09
Dear Lowe's Customer,
Thank you for your comments regarding the program, The O'Reilly Factor.
Lowe's has strict guidelines that govern the placement of our advertising. Our company advertises primarily in national, network prime-time television programs and on a variety of cable outlets.
Lowe's constantly reviews advertising buys to make certain they are consistent with its policy guidelines. The O'Reilly Factor does not meet Lowe's advertising guidelines, and the company's advertising will no longer appear during the program.
We are dedicated to providing the best service, products, and shopping environment in the home improvement industry. All three of these are very important to our business, and our customers will always be our number one priority.
We appreciate your contacting us, and hope this information addresses your concerns.
Thank you,
Lowe's Customer Care