Email response from Walmart:
The response below was received from Walmart regarding the Glenn Beck boycott.
Unfortunately this response is not consistent with the fact that Walmart advertised on
Keith Olbermann's MSNBC show Monday night (8/24/09). I have contacted Walmart for
clarification and will keep you updated.
Dear Customer,
Thank you for your inquiry. We continuously review our media plans. In keeping with our
internal guidelines to avoid content that is highly polarizing, we've instructed our agencies, as
of August 3rd, not to run Walmart advertising in news commentary shows on national cable
networks. This would include the Glenn Beck Show.
Thank you,
Walmart Customer Care
**UPDATE 8/27/09**
Walmart has changed their response letter. Below is the new response. While reading
it, keep in mind that Walmart is advertising on Keith Olbermann's MSNBC show. The
same Keith Olbermann who referred to Fox News viewers as "...tin-foil hatters,
conspiracy theorists, paranoids and racists..." on his program August 25, 2009. To use
Walmart's own words, I would consider that sort of statement to be both "provocative"
and "polarizing."
From: Walmart Customer Service
Date: 8/26/2009 3:49:03 PM
To: [Name withheld for privacy]
Subject: Response from Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (Ref #000000023755XXX)
Thank you for your message.
Dear [Name withheld for privacy] ,
Thank you for your letter. We appreciate you taking the time to write and express your opinion.
We want to take a minute to help you understand our advertising philosophy, especially as it
relates to some cable news shows.
Our ads are targeted at moms, and fundamentally these ads are about saving people money
so they can live better. We buy advertising on shows that run the spectrum politically and
socially because we want to be on the programs moms are watching. As our core customer,
she is "the boss." At the same time, we want to make sure our commercials don't appear in
programs that detract from the message we are trying to deliver.
While provocative programming can be both interesting and entertaining to its loyal viewers, it
can also be polarizing. That's just not a place we think we should be. The message becomes
more about the controversy and less about what we are trying to say to our customers.
We hope this gives you a better understanding of our position. Thanks again for reaching out
to us.
Sincerely,
Walmart Customer Care
If you would like to contact Walmart regarding claims by
ColorofChange.org that they have dropped advertising from
Glenn's show, please use link below.