PressEthic

Ford Motor Co. will no longer advertise in gay and lesbian oriented magazines such as Advocate and Out. The Detroit Free Press notes that Ford claims this is not in response to a coincidental American Family Association boycott.

Specifically, the automaker is halting the gay-oriented advertising of it's high end Jaguar and Land Rover vehicles. For spokesman Mike Moran says they're just "trying to look at it from a business perspective."

No word yet on what that means.

What I know is that in June, the AFA delayed their planned boycott until December 1. Hmmm... what's today?

Companies have every right to advertise to whomever they like. I find it doubtful, though, that this is the result of some as-yet-unexplained business model. What, gay men are no longer interested in luxury vehicles?

This is not the first time this sort of protest has affected advertising location (as opposed to content). Recently in LA, community outrage led to the removal of some billboards promoting 50 Cent's new movie Get Rich or Die Tryin'. There is a difference, though, that I find troubling. The 50 Cent billboard was argued by those in the community to whom it was advertised. The Jaguar and Land Rover ads were removed from gay publications because of people who do not read them.

The affected magazines are losing ad money-- the life blood of print media-- because of the underhanded actions of another group. I hope they raise hell for Ford.