Re: Chicken and Xian Family Values

[DeterminedJuliet]

The best way to try to influence someone is through dialogue and reason.  This sort of reaction has the effect of galvanizing the store's position.  It's supporters rallied and gave it one of the best business days it ever had yesterday.  What was accomplished?

It will have had an increase in sales and rallied people of a similar mindset to the brand over competitors. For the ideology it hasn't done a thing but in terms of business it has been very successful, and it has shown that intolerance in the States can actually be a good marketing plan for business. it has done a huge amount of damage actually for the perception of the American people being progressive and tolerant.

I wouldn't call it a huge success just yet -- things are very heated right now, so you have people rallying on both sides of the argument. Yesterday's "support day" was pretty impressive, but, at the end of the day I'm a bit skeptical about how permanently people can change their day-to-day eating habits to support a "cause". Not eating something is a lot easier than artificially eating a lot of something. What are the Chick-fil-a supporters going to do? Eat fried chicken every day for the rest of their lives? Not likely. Even the biggest fast-food junkie would need a break from constantly eating at one restaurant all of the time.

So, I think this will just be a test of how many of Chick-fil-a's existing clientele also support the company's position on marriage. Since most of chick-fil-a's restaurants are in the southern states anyway, I predict there there won't be a huge change one way or another over the long term. At most, it might stall the company from setting up ventures in more progressive areas.  

[Crow]

I wouldn't call it a huge success just yet -- things are very heated right now, so you have people rallying on both sides of the argument. Yesterday's "support day" was pretty impressive, but, at the end of the day I'm a bit skeptical about how permanently people can change their day-to-day eating habits to support a "cause". Not eating something is a lot easier than artificially eating a lot of something. What are the Chick-fil-a supporters going to do? Eat fried chicken every day for the rest of their lives? Not likely. Even the biggest fast-food junkie would need a break from constantly eating at one restaurant all of the time.

So, I think this will just be a test of how many of Chick-fil-a's old clientele also support the company's position on marriage. Since most of chick-fil-a's restaurants are in the southern states anyway, I predict there there won't be a huge change one way or another over the long term. At most, it might stall the company from setting up ventures in more progressive areas.  

Its a huge success. Just having an increase of sales is a success but having an increase of sales, massive media coverage whilst being openly intolerant is a huge success. Anyone that has ever worked in/with marketing will know how much effect one media stunt can have on public perception and that those are always made in the initial moments, the reactions to the "protest" has been positive in terms of sales so the PR/marketing/ad company have found a hook that they can use to steadily increase margins. They don't need to target more progressive areas, and still there is a lot of spin that can be applied if they do which will be easy to overcome as the mass majority of people have short memories and believe what you tell them. In business people vote with there wallets and it has been clear that people support them.

[DeterminedJuliet]

I'm just saying that long-term business success isn't measured in terms of a one day turn-out or a two week fiasco. You may very well be right, but I think it's a bit early to say. 

[Crow]

I'm just saying that long-term business success isn't measured in terms of a one day turn-out or a two week fiasco. You may very well be right, but I think it's a bit early to say. 

That's correct but that wouldn't be down to one publicity stunt either unless the data clearly indicates in no correlation to any other business strategies that there was a continuous decrease/increase in sales. You judge each strategy for its own merits especially in the first days as that is always when it has the most impact.

[xSilverPhinx]

Difficult to say what it will be long term, but if it turns out that a lot of people see them as some weird form of crusaders for 'the eternal word of god' as mentioned by the guy holding the bible in one of those clips, then it might be.

Or it could just be that the whole thing dies down and people find some other easy scapegoat that isn't their business anyways for their problems. Hmpf. A business that isn't a church is making money off them by hiding behind some religious context. Gullible people

People do have short memories, but they tend to remember those who have wronged them for a lot longer than not, so probably when things die down and return to normal that food chain would've lost a good number of customers who didn't like the message they endorsed.

[Crow]

People do have short memories, but they tend to remember those who have wronged them for a lot longer than not, so probably when things die down and return to normal that food chain would've lost a good number of customers who didn't like the message they endorsed.

As long as the people that disagree enough to not eat at the fast food chain outnumber the don't cares and the homophobes then that could be very damaging. Does anyone know what the general polls say on homosexual marriage in the States.

[En_Route]

At first I was thinking you were talking about another type of chicken, but it seems not.

That chain must be having some of the best buisiness in some parts ever. What great PR it is for a private business to get involved in a heated debate. Banning it would only make it stronger.

If I ever open a business I might consider herding some people who cling onto primitive second-hand opinions into it...

I think you  may have just invented the creationburger.

[MadBomr101]

UPDATE:

The Gay Rights folks are going to hold a "Kissing Protest" at Chik-fil-a locations nationwide tomorrow (Friday) by assembling outside of the restaurants and, well... kiss.  Check out this CNN Video Report for the story.  Of particular interest, at about the 03:00 point, the company issues a statement that is clearly designed to distance themselves from the comments made by the company president, Dan Cathy, that started all the drama.

Board Mods: I probably shoulda created this thread in Current Events.  I went Religion due to the heavy Xian angle of the issue.  Move it if necessary.

[En_Route]

There wasa big brouhaha about it in Boston because the mayor sent a letter to the Chik-fil-a president saying he wasn't welcome in the city, and said he would try to block them from opening a store there. More here if you're curious.

I was cheering the mayor on, and still do in many ways, but I admit it makes me queasy to see him trying to block a business from opening because of their personal views, even if their views are ignorant and bigoted. Now, if they fired someone or refused to serve a customer over their sexual orientation, then I'd be happy to see them get shut down.

Attempting to impose economic sanctions on people whose views you don't like is a very dangerous double- edged weapon. Free speech I think is a  life- enhancing commodity.
I would imagine that  refusing to serve people on grounds of their sexual orientation would be the subject of proportionate legal sanctions; closing a business down on those grounds seems a trifle extreme.

[xSilverPhinx]

People do have short memories, but they tend to remember those who have wronged them for a lot longer than not, so probably when things die down and return to normal that food chain would've lost a good number of customers who didn't like the message they endorsed.

As long as the people that disagree enough to not eat at the fast food chain outnumber the don't cares and the homophobes then that could be very damaging. Does anyone know what the general polls say on homosexual marriage in the States.

That's why I tend to think that it was a smart PR move rather than a stupid one, but time will tell.

At first I was thinking you were talking about another type of chicken, but it seems not.

That chain must be having some of the best buisiness in some parts ever. What great PR it is for a private business to get involved in a heated debate. Banning it would only make it stronger.

If I ever open a business I might consider herding some people who cling onto primitive second-hand opinions into it...

I think you  may have just invented the creationburger.

Dear lord, I hope not. Selling burgers which spontaneously spawn lifeforms could be bad for business, giving new meaning to "you don't know what's in that meat". Btw, I insist that be the slogan.

Abiogensis, or life constantly being generated from non life, is a disproven scientific hypothesis. Not that that would discourage any creationists...

[Beachdragon]

People are squawking about how this is free speech and that Mr. Cathy has a right to say and feel what he wants.  And that's fine.  But I can't imagine a business owner doing this and alienating a large portion of clientelle.  Sure there are the knee jerk conservatives who fully support him, but I have to say he's lost business and potential business.  But we'll see.  I just can't see some one saying, "I don't believe you have certain rights and I will donate to causes to subvert you....but for now, how about buying a chicken sandwich?"

I wonder if he came out with other extreme biblical opinions how the uber conservatives would react.  How about quoting Paul in that women should be silent and may not be able to teach men..for a start.  And a campaign on Sparing the Rod and Spoiling the child?

Gotta make sure it's not Old Testament.  You know that gets dismissed when it doesn't suit their needs.

[MadBomr101]

People do have short memories, but they tend to remember those who have wronged them for a lot longer than not, so probably when things die down and return to normal that food chain would've lost a good number of customers who didn't like the message they endorsed.

As long as the people that disagree enough to not eat at the fast food chain outnumber the don't cares and the homophobes then that could be very damaging. Does anyone know what the general polls say on homosexual marriage in the States.

That's why I tend to think that it was a smart PR move rather than a stupid one, but time will tell.

I think he was just spouting off his standard Xian ignorance and inadvertently managed to spark controversy that polarized people on either side of the issue.  While they will reap some short-term benefits from Xian supporters, that uptick in business isn't likely to offset the loss of their gay and gay supporting clientele.  How much chicken can Xians eat?   

[MadBomr101]

People are squawking about how this is free speech and that Mr. Cathy has a right to say and feel what he wants.  And that's fine.  But I can't imagine a business owner doing this and alienating a large portion of clientelle.  Sure there are the knee jerk conservatives who fully support him, but I have to say he's lost business and potential business.  But we'll see.  I just can't see some one saying, "I don't believe you have certain rights and I will donate to causes to subvert you....but for now, how about buying a chicken sandwich?"

I wonder if he came out with other extreme biblical opinions how the uber conservatives would react.  How about quoting Paul in that women should be silent and may not be able to teach men..for a start.  And a campaign on Sparing the Rod and Spoiling the child?

Gotta make sure it's not Old Testament.  You know that gets dismissed when it doesn't suit their needs.

Seconded.

[Recusant]

As long as the people that disagree enough to not eat at the fast food chain outnumber the don't cares and the homophobes then that could be very damaging. Does anyone know what the general polls say on homosexual marriage in the States.

According to the most recent polls, it's very evenly matched, with a slight balance in favor.

* * *

Abiogensis, or life constantly being generated from non life, is a disproven scientific hypothesis. Not that that would discourage any creationists...

For the benefit of lurkers: I assume that you're thinking of the hypothesis known as Aristotelian abiogenesis, more commonly called "spontaneous generation," which was famously disproved by Pasteur. Modern hypotheses of abiogenesis are much different, and as far as I know the concept is still viable, from a scientific perspective.

[Crow]

Of particular interest, at about the 03:00 point, the company issues a statement that is clearly designed to distance themselves from the comments made by the company president, Dan Cathy, that started all the drama.

That's exactly what I meant by "and still there is a lot of spin that can be applied if they do which will be easy to overcome as the mass majority of people have short memories and believe what you tell them". It means bugger all, the statement was issued by the VP of corporate public relations its their job to issue cookie cutter comments that sound like they don't support something but actually doesn't say that at all, what it really says is that even though we may disagree with your lifestyle we will still serve you and we may stop this but I have no control. Otherwise the statement would have come from somebody with power and use words like "will" rather than "intend".