Several advertisers said they would continue advertising on the program while appearing to distance themselves from Mr. Carlson’s remarks. Farmers Insurance said that its advertising decisions “should not be construed to be an endorsement of any kind as to a show’s content or the individuals appearing on the show.” Mitsubishi Motors North America said that its ad placements were “determined based on demographics and psychographics, not politics.”
Mr. Carlson has long made derisive comments about immigration and diversity. At the start of the year, he questioned whether diversity was divisive. In August and September, he claimed that immigration was destroying a thriving middle class in California and accused illegal immigrants of producing “a huge amount of litter.”
In public statements, the companies that have left the show said their values did not align with the host’s comments. In confirming its decision to stop running ads on the show, IHOP said, “At our core, we stand for welcoming folks from all backgrounds and beliefs into our restaurants.” And Pacific Life said in a statement last week, “Our customer base and our work force reflect the diversity of our great nation, something we take great pride in.”
Kara Alaimo, who teaches public relations at Hofstra University, said that Mr. Carlson’s comments presented a problem for companies, which cannot afford to be associated with “hateful or inaccurate information.”
“Consumers generally understand that brands that appeal to Americans across the political spectrum — certainly like Bayer — may advertise on a whole range of platforms,” Ms. Alaimo said. “But I think that there are exceptions when a brand, with its dollars, supports an organization or an individual who is truly outside the mainstream.”
Bayer did not respond to requests for comment, but it told The Hollywood Reporter that the views expressed on opinion programs “are solely those of the network, and do not necessarily reflect those of Bayer.”
While Mr. Carlson condemned what he saw as an attack on free speech on Monday, some of his advertisers saw the matter differently.
“As a business, it is not our intention to become political advocates, nor do we want to limit free speech,” Steve Chesterman, a spokesman for Pacific Life, said in an email on Tuesday. “Rather, our goal is to drive our advertising spend to create the most consistently positive reflection of our brand.”
Article source: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/18/business/media/tucker-carlson-advertisers-fox-news.html?partner=rss&emc=rss
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