How soon we forget…but just one week? Yup. Advertiser are already talking about hooking up with Imus just a week after he was fired from CBS for his “nappy headed ho” remark. GM spokeswoman Ryndee Carney said, “We obviously don’t condone his statements, but we have found value advertising on Imus in the past. Up to this point, the good has outweighed the bad. If an opportunity is presented to us, we would assess it just like we do all the other opportunities that come our way.” Ah yes, corporate drooling for eyeballs continues to outweigh taking a stand on an issue. It’s just too alluring to ignore the wallets of those who might still listen to Imus if and when he ever were to reappear.
Of course, to be clear, most advertisers didn’t want Imus to go away in the first place. They saw a need to distance themselves temporarily from the situation but most realize the man still has a following and that following has money to spend on advertiser’s product. That sentiment always trumps any higher moral ground a marketer might espouse during the short terms.
And so it goes. An offense occurs. Advertisers claim disgust and bail. Then advertisers see revenue fall and return to the very place they once vehemently shunned. Classic capitalism.
