Here are two postcards to print off, scribble pleas for sanity or obscenities or both and send out to the corporate world. The really awful part is that no one on the receiving end may care. But we have to do it anyway. We chose Jane aka Georgia from Bad Newz Kennels as the messenger in this piece. Jonny's on the second card. They've each had more than one org stereotype them in the name of cashola - trendsetters that they are.
The postcards are on a big fat PDF file. Oh my aching bandwidth. So give it a minute to come up. If you know of names... (stores/shareholders/execs/etc) that should get a pile of these, please share their address here. Thanks.
22 comments:
Excellent...
Here are some names who should get a postcard.
http://aboutus.vzw.com/leadership/executive/index.html
What I pointed out in my letter yesterday was the fact that legal consequences spring from what they're doing. Obviously BSL is an example here, but additionally, glorifying chaining is directly advocating for an illegal (not just cruel) activity in many jurisdictions.
Reminds me of that awful Nike campaign...
Yep - Especially in that Nike never pulled their Battle ads after an avalanche of protest and never owned up to the damage done by glorifying street fighting to kids. Losers.
Here's some more tips for comments on those fabulous post cards.
http://aboutus.vzw.com/pdfs/Code_of_Conduct.pdf
It violates their code of conduct statment, the part about integrity is their core and being committed to doing the right thing, blah blah make the world better than it was. Hah!
Don't forget to update the Wikipedia for their listing...I noticed someone already added the stuff about their Dead Zone campaign...I'm not that creative to update this myself...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Verizon_Wireless
Their mailing address is One Verizon Way Basking Ridge, NJ 07920-1097 and I made special notes on cards for Martha Delehanty, VP HR (diversity fairness, etc); Mike Lanman, VP marketing (born and raised in DC, I'm sure he's well aware of the suffering of pitties); Anthony A. Lewis, VP Development (he's black, supports many children at risk causes).
Might not make a difference, but we'll never know if we don't try and the commercial truly sucks.
Becky
Lara on the A Rotta Love Blog had some contact info posted:
http://www.arottalove.org/blog/
The postcards look great!
Members of the Society of Animal Welfare Administrators (sawanetwork.org) provide the following Verizon contacts for your comments. Let's do it!
Brenda Raney, Executive Director of Media Relations for Verizon Wireless.
She's at email brenda.raney@ verizonwireless. com and phone number 908-559-7518.
Bill Kula, APR, Director-Media Relations, william.kula@ verizon.com
Phone numbers 972-718-6924 (o), 214-789-1644 (cell), 972-718-0184 (fax)
Bill's Snail Mail:
Verizon Communications Inc.
600 Hidden Ridge, HQEO4L37
Irving, TX 75038
~ doglunatique in Oakland
Send one to Barry Obama! He'll 'get it'.
Donna, those are beautiful - you could sell them, maybe as Christmas postcards or something. Or just exchange the file for a donation, people could print out their own.
Here ya go everyone-- this is the telephone Number to the Marketing Dept @ Verizon: 1-800-256-4646. Call and ask to have this commercial pulled, in addition to sending those fabulous postcards (which really say it all).
--
Kinda unrelated to this particular post but there is a "Would you adopt a Vick dog?" topic thread on SFGate right now:
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/pets/detail?&entry_id=28390&type=pets
Surprisingly, most of the commenters say YES! Of course there are the two people who pull out the old "pit bulls are unpredictable born killers" chestnut, but the majority of comments are full of bully love. Yay!
I am actually going to cancel my Verizon service. I have been a customer for 7 years, but I just can not give a company money that wants to exploit my pitties...shame on them!
This is how they will get the message, by losing money!!
btw, I turned the one of Jonny into a little sidebar ad linking to your blog.
Hope that was OK.
Anyone who cancels their Verizon service because of this advertisement should write Verizon to let the company know that it lost a customer because of this advertisement.
Our messaging is meant to be shared, caveat. Use and abuse it in the name of sanity. And, thanks for doing so.
My favorite quote of the day is from Pam in Bermuda, who actually got ahold of a verizon marketing guy named Jeff on the phone (phone # supplied above) and asked him "HAVE YOU BEEN SMOKING CRACK?!"
... Pam gets my vote for the Most Capable of Cutting Thru the Crap in the name of getting bizness done. Well done Evil Pam!
Horatio says the ad has been pulled. Excuse my pessimism, H -- I want to believe you but we need more confirmation. Fingers crossed, tho.' We all need a good excuse for a mojito.
I have been with Verizon for the past four years and I'm going to cancel my service. Any company who can only promote their crappy product through perpetrating sterotypes does not get my business. Their marketing team should be fired!
Emma
Here's a response to an email that I sent to a few of the addresses listed in these comments: (I did also email Brenda Raney).
To streamline things for folks who want to express their comments, it's best they send it to Verizon Wireless, a unit of Verizon that I don't represent. The contact information you've been provided is not right since I represent Verizon Telecom, the company's wireline business unit but here's how I'm helping.
On your behalf, I've already relayed your note, as I've done with others on this same topic, to Brenda Raney, executive director of media relations for Verizon Wireless who is making sure the team that handles marketing and advertising receives input from the public. She's at
brenda.raney@verizonwireless.com.
On behalf of our wireless unit, I know it regrets some people found the commercial distasteful. It was absolutely not the unit's intent to reflect a negative image with its advertisement, and I can assure Verizon Wireless meant no purposed slander of American Pit Bull Terriers in its commercial.
I do appreciate you taking time out of your day to express your
comments. To be assured, they are in the right hands over at Verizon
Wireless. -- Bill
Bill Kula, APR
Director-Media Relations
Verizon Communications Inc.
600 Hidden Ridge, HQEO4L37
Irving, TX 75038
972-718-6924 (o), 214-789-1644 (cell), 972-718-0184 (fax)
william.kula@verizon.com
Brenda Raney's phone is linked to NJ, so I believe her snail mail address is the One Verizon Way, Basking Ridge, NJ 07920-1097 address for Verizon Wireless' corporate headquarters....
Becky
Just sent this letter to Brenda Raney at Verizon:
I'm writing to express my utter disgust with Verizon's Dare campaign featuring pit bull dogs in its advertisement. The ad reinforces the most damaging stereotypes of the breed for no other reason than to make your product look "edgy" or "cool". These types of ads have consequences, most notably they make it easier to pass breed specific legislation that removes great pets from their families and results in the death of the dogs. Moreover your ad reinforces the notion that the breed is dangerous and not worthy of care and compassion. As a proud pit bull owner I can tell you this is simply not the case.
I am also a partner in a successful technology consulting company in San Francisco who because of your campaign has cancelled my $1500 per month 10mbps Verizion data service and will now be canceling my cell phone service as well. I will also make it a point to not recommend any of your services to my clients, which represents a potentially very large loss of business for Verizon. This includes the recommendation of large data installations as well as cell service. I hope Verizon reconsiders its advertisement and realizes it will lose more business than it gains by such an offensive and irresponsible campaign .
Bless you Nancy!
Good for all of you who are canceling your Verizon service. They will understand our aversion to their ad only when we hit them in the pocketbook. Power in numbers.
Boris' Mom
My contract with Verizon will be terminated forthworth and just short of ten years with them. I DARE to exercise MY right not to do business with this organization again.
I am SO glad that you are doing what you do. It is SO important and I'm so happy that you see through PETA's BULLSH**, too. You guys are seriously the salt of the earth. Thank you so much for all you do for Pit Bulls.
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