Brand Central Station

Certainly there will be some companies, somewhere, who will step in and take up the available inventory … but as the New York Times reported on Friday, some of the larger brand advertisers have found the heat in Glenn Beck’s kitchen a little too hot and have pulled their advertising following the right-wing commentator’s comments about President Obama late last month.

Con Agra, Geico, Progressive and Proctor & Gamble all pulled ads – or shifted ad spending on FOX following the controversial remarks.  Con Agra went as far as to issue a statement on Beck’s statements:

“We are firmly committed to diversity, and we would like to prevent the potential perception that advertising during this program was an endorsement of the viewpoints shared.”

Other advertisers kept their buys on FOX but distanced themselves from Mr. Beck’s show in particular.  According to the article in the Times:

Other companies also said their spots had been scheduled during “Glenn Beck” by mistake. Ads for Procter & Gamble and S.C. Johnson appeared on a weekend repeat of Mr. Beck’s program by mistake, Fox acknowledged. Progressive said that its advertising order had specified “no Glenn Beck,” but Fox said it had bought a block of time with the channel that included Mr. Beck.

One of the issues raised by the article in the Times, however, centers on exactly how the attention of these advertisers – and their resulting media spending decisions – were brought to bear.  Some credit has to go to ad mogul Donny Deutsch who also serves as a talk show host on FOX’s rival, MSNBC.  Deutsch named names of brands who advertised on Beck’s show and rightly pointed out that corporate leaders often don’t know exactly where every ad dollar is going, so if angry consumer reached out to the companies who advertise on shows like Beck, those advertisers are likely to respond.

I found it more than just mildly humorous that Duetsch’s co-host couldn’t believe that the CEO’s of company’s like Chrysler and Campbell’s Soup don’t watch Beck’s show or have any idea where their ad dollars are spent.  Deutsch, plowed on – condeming neither FOX or the sponsors but urging consumers to action.

An advocacy group, ColorofChange.org took the matter one step further, generating over 100,000 electronic signatures on an online petition in just two days following Beck’s comments.  And while FOX remained adamant that neither the re-allocation of ad dollars or the e-petition had any effect, the actions did succeed in getting the attention of right-wing supporters of Beck.

Conservative bloggers of Beck are now mounting a campaign of their own to gin up support and, presumably, influence advertisers to return to Beck’s show.

It makes one wonder how far into the commercial world the divisive nature of politics can travel.  Outside its own echo chamber, I’m not so sure political extremism can overcome the pragmatic middle.  After all, politics is one thing – but what brand of cereal I eat or car insurance I buy is MY business.

It will be interesting to watch, in the very least.