The Parents Television Council said that as recently as 2009 Brinker, the company behind restaurant chains Chili’s and Maggiano’s, was one of America’s worst advertisers. Now it calls Brinker a positive example.
“Today I am pleased to praise Brinker for turning a positive corner. Brinker has changed its ways and is not sponsoring offensive television content. Moreover, Brinker has sponsored positive family-friendly fare as ‘Dancing with the Stars,’ ‘Extreme Makeover: Home Edition’ and ‘The Voice,’” said PTC President Tim Winter.
Winter cited Wal-Mart exec Stephen Quinn to provide evidence that more companies should follow Brinker’s lead. According to Quinn, its return on advertising is 18% better when placed on “positive” rather than “negative” programs. PTC says there are studies out there that tend to confirm that observation.
RBR-TVBR observation: We have often had our differences with PTC, but we have no quarrel with PTC when it does things like this. Shining a light on what types of programming certain advertisers support, encouraging PTC supporters to avoid patronizing advertisers on this basis is a fine time-tested use of the American right to freedom of speech.
