Michael Vick Project TV Sponsors (KFC, Chevrolet, Buick, Sprint Bally Fitness, Hersheys, Footlocker, Applebees, Dave and Busters) All Get Free Advertising from SackVick.net
February 15th, 2010
We had just updated the Sponsors to Protest Page here on the site, when we received this email with a much more comprehensive list of sponsors that are paying to advertise on the Michael Vick Project television show on BET.
We thought we’d HELP those sponsors get the idea of what their sponsorship brings to the world inserted between 10 hours of a choreographed make over of Michael Vick on TV. Obviously if getting their ads in front of an extra 2.8 million people is so vital to them, we would like to offer some ad suggestions to help them get some more value for their ad dollar as they help finance Michael Vick’s PR Campaign…
Update 2-19-10 – The Footlocker ad has been removed from this article after we received word from one of our readers with a note from Footlocker stating:
"Generally, BET sells blocks of advertising time rather than media buys based on individual programs. This means that Foot Locker does not choose the program that is showing when our commercial airs. Please know that we would not intentionally advertise on programs that may be considered inappropriate or offensive to our consumers."
If their ads return to the Michael Vick Project we will be happy to return the ad for them. In general, we would like advertisers to be aware of BET’s unsavory business practice of filling advertisers spots without telling them where their ads or ad dollars are going. This does not mean that advertisers get a free pass. Just like Michael Vick was responsible for spending his money from sponsors on killing dogs and running illegal dog fighting rings, advertisers are responsible to insure that their brand and spots and ad money are not used to promote shows that would harm that brand or society. If they place a blind order of advertising and do not put controls on that order then any violent felon might be promoted onto a soap box and benefit financially for their crimes as would seem to be the case for Michael Vick on the Michael Vick Project.
Update – Several readers have indicated that Applebees has notified them via email that Applebees did not specifically seek to advertise on the Michael Vick Project on BET. We have not been able to independently confirm that ourselves with Applebees, we have not found any press releases from Applebees on Michael Vick or the Michael Vick Project nor any other messages from Applebees. We have not been able to confirm BET’s advertising practices, but in some of these cases it would appear that BET sort of dumped advertisers spots between breaks in the show when the advertisers did not specifically ‘prohibit their ads from running and funding the Michael Vick Project’. This would not appear to be a good business practice by BET, but at the same time, advertisers must watch how their funds are spent and where the money goes. As we learn more on this and other Michael Vick Project advertisers we will continue to keep you posted.
Update 2/19/10 – Some of our readers have been told by Sprint that they have pulled their advertising for the Michael Vick Project. Again this would seem to be a situation where BET placed Sprint ads in spots on the Michael Vick Project without Sprint knowing that the ads would be there, and Sprint failed to follow up and see where their ads were placed and if the placement was appropriate. We don’t have official confirmation from Sprint on this yet via a Press Release or other public statement but will keep our eye open. If you see such a public statement please leave us a comment with details and a location.
Dave and Busters Ad Removed 2/16
Here’s a copy of the email.
Dear Friends,
Please e-mail the sponsors of the Michael Vick Reality Show and express your
opposition to their financial support of the program. As a result of their
advertising, Vick is profiting from a lucrative reality television contract.This show is beyond the pale of depravity and must be canceled. Please also
stop buying these companies’ products immediately and tell your friends and
family to do the same. Of all the shows on television, these corporations
made a decision to support Michael Vick.KFC
http://www.kfc.com/contact/Buick
http://www.buick.com/pages/mds/helpcenter/contactUs.doBally Fitness
http://www.ballyfitness.comPLEASE DO NOT SEE THE FOLLOWING MOVIES WHO ADVERTISED DURING THE SHOW:
- From Paris with Love
- Shudder Island
- The Crazies
Hershey’s
https://www.hersheys.com/contactus/contact-us-date.aspFootlocker
http://www.footlocker.com/customerserviceChevy
http://www.chevrolet.com/pages/mds/helpcenter/contactUs.doCHEVY HAS EXPRESSED THEIR FULL SUPPORT FOR MICHAEL VICK’S SHOW. PLEASE
CONTINUE TO E-MAIL THEM UNTIL THEY GET THE MESSAGE.Applebee’s
http://www.applebees.com/GuestContact.aspxSprint
http://www.sprint.com/index.htmlSPRINT HAS EXPRESSED THEIR FULL SUPPORT FOR MICHAEL VICK’S SHOW. PLEASE
CONTINUE TO E-MAIL THEM UNTIL THEY GET THE MESSAGE.
Broadview Security (formerly Brinks Security)
http://www.broadviewsecurity-business.com/contactform.htm
Dave and Buster’shttp://www.daveandbusters.com
Dave & Buster’s World Headquarters
2481 Manana Drive
Dallas, TX 75220
214-357-9588Please also contact BET and tell them what you think of the show:
https://bet.wufoo.com/forms/contact-us-betcom-management/
Sponsors that STOPPED Advertising on the Michael Vick Project television show due to caring people like yourself
2/15/10 Update: Dave and Busters announced on Twitter that they run general advertising on BET and had tightened their advertising guidelines to exclude the Michael Vick Project. We have been unable to find any official Press Release and are relying on their twitter update on this issue.
2/4/10 Update: Nivea ended their commercial sponsorship of the show after
being inundated with customer e-mails complaining about their support of the
program.2/5/10 Update: Pizza Hut issued a press release informing the public that
they asked BET to end their commercial support of the show.2/5/10 Update: Denny’s Restaurant contacted BET and ended their support
after receiving e-mails from concerned customers expressing their opposition
to the show.2/6/10 Update: L’Oreal issued a press release that they have terminated
their support of the Michael Vick "Reality" Show and apologized for
offending L’Oreal customers.2/8/10 Update: Nationwide Insurance issued a press release announcing that
they asked BET to pull their ads from the Michael Vick Reality Show and that
they do not support the program and do not wish to have any association with
it.(I will DVR the next episode and FF to the commercials to confirm these
advertisers’ commitments and identify any new advertisers who may have
filled their shoes.)If Vick hadn’t killed dogs, he would never have this show. He’s making money
off his killing spree. He recently said the reason for the show is to clear
his family name. He also said that he will not speak about dog fighting
anymore after the show. When Vick said he was going to dedicate his life to
speaking out against dog fighting, apparently he meant he would do it twice
per month for a year until people forgot about it and it was safe for him to
be rich and famous again and profit from his crimes. He did a masterful job
of using the HSUS to help him re-enter society. He was never sincere. He
still thinks he’s a victim as evidenced by his arrogant and callous remarks
after being nominated for the Ed Block Courage Award:"I’ve overcome a lot, more than probably one single individual can handle or
bear," Vick said. "You ask certain people to walk through my shoes, they
probably couldn’t do. Probably 95 percent of the people in this world
because nobody had to endure what I’ve been through, situations I’ve been
put in…"Some people argue "everyone deserves a second chance…it’s time to move on"
and "everyone makes mistakes". Vick did not make a mistake; it was a
conscious and calculated decision that he knew was wrong. He is diabolical,
transparent, and evil. There is no cure for evil. He doesn’t deserve a
second chance for his heinous and unspeakable crimes against animals. Those
of us who speak for animals will not "move on" as Vick is emblematic of a
larger problem in a society that shows disregard for the welfare of animals
and believes lenient sentences and fines equate to justice. They do not.
If people want to idolize this sadistic killer, cheer for him from the
stands and wear his jersey, they can do it. We draw the line with a reality
show that allows him to profit from his felonies. Let us send a clear
message — if you brutalize helpless animals, you will not be accepted back
into society and return to fame and wealth without opposition. Our silence
allows the opposite message to be sent. Complacency breeds acceptance.
Acceptance leads to continued violence against animals. We do not have to
accept things as they are and we will not.Please help us send a message to the shameless sponsors of this show that we
will boycott their products until they end their support of the program.Thank you.
On behalf of the dogs Michael Vick fought, kicked, shot, hung, electrocuted,
drowned, and tortured.
More on similar topics:
- Ads Sacked on the Michael Vick Project The Michael Vick Project's sponsors were not all as sick as Michael Vick, the large majority of sponsors have pulled their financial support, better late...
- Most Major Advertisers Not Present for Second Episode of Michael Vick Project This week the major corporate advertisers were just not present and a second or third string round up of advertisers were cycled by BET in...
11 Responses to “Michael Vick Project TV Sponsors (KFC, Chevrolet, Buick, Sprint Bally Fitness, Hersheys, Footlocker, Applebees, Dave and Busters) All Get Free Advertising from SackVick.net”
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It must be fun boycotting all these things for no reason.
Why should Vick be continue to be rewarded for the hell he put these dogs through?!
You know this is really sad. What else do you people want from this man. HE HAS PAID FOR HIS CRIMES. Why can’t he make a living now? You people need some serious help.
Why couldn’t Michael Vick make a living in the NFL before with $100 million in contracts and deals lined up?
Answer He wanted to torture and kill dogs for fun, profit and fame in the underground world of drugs and dog fighting.
More to your question Tony, the Michael Vick Project was not Michael Vick’s attempt to make a living, it was his attempt to capitalize financially off of the crimes he committed. Yes, there is a loop hole in the law in this regards, which enabled him to legally do this, but there is nothing in the constitution that states that the rest of America has to support his efforts to capitalize off of his crimes, nor do we have to keep silent when we see someone taking advantage of a loop hole, because the other 299 million americans also have the right of free speech.
Advertisers do as well, and they tend to vote with their wallets. So if an advertiser is not getting a ROI on their ads from people like us, then they are not likely to support people like Michael Vick, who does not have the support of the advertisers audience.
This campaign is not entirely about Michael Vick, it never has been. It is also about stopping the corporate institutions that help create criminals like Michael Vick by piling unjustified money on them and setting them on a pedestal from which a fall becomes more likely.
The corporations that paid Michael Vick share some of the responsibility for his crimes too. They did not go to jail, which is not fair.
But as Americans we can vote with our wallets and our voice and help guide those same corporations towards better people, better methods, and then possibly a country that doesn’t reward killers, rapists, abusers and more with huge piles of cash, which in turn motivates younger kids to attempt to follow in their foot steps.
So stop whining about how you think this is sad that Michael Vick is getting picked on, he isn’t. We are simply trying to stop the cycle that created Michael Vick (criminal) and too many other criminals just like him and instead trying to reset the system so that a kid growing up in a poor area like Michael Vick did might not get pushed along a path that makes him into a rich monster.
Until you understand the whole system of what is happening here, you are as much a part of the problem as anyone.
Pizza Hut, General Mills, Hersheys and just today Avon have all responded via email stating they were pulling their ads. McDonalds replied they would not. Buick does not respond, but rather puts your email on their advertising list.
Contacting sponsors does have some impact.
Girls Inc. gets our tax dollars and runs ads on The Michael Vick Project. As a father, grandfather, and taxpayer, I am appalled my tax dollars are being spent in this manner. What could an organization that sponsors a criminal possibly be teaching girls about morals and values?
How sick are you guys or girls? Get a real-life problem like the torture and murders of humans why waste the time on dogs. I think to be cruel to anything is wrong but look around the NFL league Leonard little killed a MO woman driving drunk and still plays. He did less Time then vick so how stupid does the human race look protecting dogs over humans and don’t feed me the dogs can’t do anything about there situation cause that dead MO woman can’t do anything about her situation. Fight for something important in life I hope one of your fluffy dogs hurts your kids or a stranger cause you’ll probably blame the human you freaks make me hurl !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Go vick. Youve done to much time already
P.s. Im a white male who hates black thugs like vick but just cause I don’t like him. Does not mean I would put him in hell over a hundred dead dogs
Some of the cruelest, sickest killers of humans, started by killing animals.
That said there is no place for anyone in the NFL or professional sports that is a violent felon.
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Mike Vick did his time in jail, now you all need to stop complaining about him. Let him get back with his life, give him his second chance. You’re all ready to boycott these places that sponcer his show. I doubt any of you have even seen his show. If you want to see it just go mikevick.com.
Michael Vick, yes, has served his time to society, and yes, he lost ALL of his fame and fortune,but, what was in the heart of the man to begin with? I doubt that he can change over-night, men, every where are pulling for Michael to get back on the field…..but…..don’t forget, and God forbid, you do, women rule, who is in , and who is out, and believe me, as a woman, and a care-taker of God’s creatures, HE IS SO OUT!