Thursday, August 14, 2008

What's the Point? And...is this a good idea?

An email was received that asked, "what is the point of contacting sponsors? They won't care anyway!"

Another email expressed concern that posting this type of information might be illegal or dangerous for the people who run these types of sites.

About the first question...why do this? Because companies are VERY concerned about their public image. That's why they align themselves with shows to begin with...to reach a demographic over which they feel they have some influence. When that influence seems in jeopardy, such as when a sponsor is aligned with a controversial show, celebrity or event, they can be very quick to pull the plug. Or, sometimes they ride through the controversy. Every company is different and has the right to choose what they will do with their advertising dollar. But the consumer and viewer has that same right with their dollar as well!

And that brings us to the second question....is posting this information a good idea or is it illegal? The answer to the legal question is that no...it's not illegal to post factual information. Is Juicy Juice, for example, a sponsor? Yes, clearly. Do they have an office, and email address and a phone number? Sure, here it is. We aren't telling people what to say if they wish to contact the sponsor. In fact, if you like the show, feel free to use our information for that reason too. We just think that if someone is unhappy with a favorite company endorsing this show, they should be able to have the appropriate information to contact the sponsors.

We're not asking anyone to do anything specific. We aren't asking for boycotts, demonstrations, mass writing campaigns...we are just posting the contact information. Consider this a "sponsor phone book" that can be used for whatever reason a reader wishes. But don't assume that because other people are already contacting the sponsors to express their concerns that your voice isn't needed!

Hope that helps clarify some of the recent questions!