Posted on 12/09/2005 10:47:50 AM PST by doesnt suffer fools gladly
Target Includes 'Christmas,' AFA Drops Boycott
American Family Association (AFA) has announced that it is ending its boycott of Target because the company has announced that it will include Christmas in their advertising and in-store promotions.
"We are pleased to learn that Target has heard our concerns and decided to use Christmas in their advertising and marketing efforts. Since the company has responded positively, we see no need to continue the boycott, said AFA Chairman Donald E. Wildmon.
Nearly 700,000 people had signed up to join the Target boycott at afa.net on the AFA website. Wildmon said that many companies have decided to drop their ban on Christmas.
In their official statement, Target said: "Over the course of the next few weeks, our advertising, marketing and merchandising will become more specific to the holiday that is approaching referring directly to holidays like Christmas and Hanukkah. For example, you will see reference to Christmas in select television commercials, circulars and in-store signage.
"We do not have a policy or intention of excluding the word Christmas from our holiday advertising or marketing. Christmas images and themes have been used in our advertising and marketing in the past and you will continue to see these images and themes in the future.
"We think you will see a different approach next year, Wildmon said.
At least now, I don't feel quite so guilty about going to Target this morning to buy a lasagna for a potluck dinner tonight.
Those all seem to be products with "Christmas" in their names, but what about the design of the site itself?
No. The problem is that Target is damned if they do and damned if they don't.
Too busy for my taste.
But seriously, at the moment, no Christmas on their home page, and for that matter no holiday, unless in Flash animations. After a quick tour of the site, I'd have to agree that they seem rather shy about the C-word: whether less or more so than other retailers, I don't shop enough to know.
Anyhow, here's wishing you a merry Christmas.
Hey Doug, did you ever get an answer from TJMaxx as to why they only have Hanukkah and Holiday signs but no Christmas signs?
"Target never "banned" Christmas. They merely weren't using it in their advertising."
I never "boycotted" Target. I merely wasn't using them in my shopping routine!
"I should have addressed my comments to you."
That's OK.
I agree that "a Christmas tree should be called a Christmas tree" and find it preposterous that someone could be offended by such a labelling. I've never met a soul - atheists and agnostics alike - who claimed offense at the tidings and trimmings of CHRISTMAS.
(Although, once 12-26 rolls around, "Happy Holidays" should be perfectly acceptable.)
I just don't think it's the job of merchants to celebrate the meaning of Christmas, nor do I expect them to. Their only job is to sell more crap to an increasingly-materialist America. The best way to fight them is not by demanding change, but by taking your business elsewhere. If all offended Christians did so (rather than continuing to shop there), their inane policies would change overnight.
I'm afraid a lot of conservatives are missing the big picture on this one. You'd think we all would have learned by now to start fighting the battle while it can still be won.
I see the inroads leftists have made over the past few decades, and in every case, in every arena, they started very small. They have chipped away at our culture, and in many respects there's simply no going back. It's too late. We waited too long to fight.
The Left is also good at mocking conservatives who try to raise an alarm early, while the damage is still fixable. And unfortunately, some conservatives play into their hands with their "What's the big deal?" and "Lighten up" way of looking at these things.
"Oh so the problem is that Christmas is too commercial and Target is just helping Americans out by not saying the word?"
That's certainly one problem (commercialization), as any parent of young children can attest to. Screw Target. Shop elsewhere.
Aren't they still banning the Salvation Army?
Targetr = Busted! (think it just might have something to do with slower than projected sales...just a guess).
Local TJMAXX has both Hanukkah and Christmas in its store.
Shame on me, too I guess. Because I don't see one, either.
Wow, that is interesting! So perhaps it is a local decision made by the manager? Or maybe they have been re-thinking their position. I'll have to go back and see if the one here has put up any Christmas signs.
Has anybody else out there seen Christmas signs in TJMaxx or just Hannukkah and Holiday signs?
Ditto.
ping...
My policy is not to shop at Target until they revise theirs.
Smart move by Target.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.