• Brandweek, Thursday, March 13, 2008 10 AM

The American Family Association has called off a two-year boycott of Ford after the automaker caved to the conservative pressure group's demands that it stop advertising in gay media or giving money to gay organizations. The group says that Ford has met all of the conditions it presented in 2005, shortly before the boycott began over the company's practice of offering benefits to same-sex couples and marketing efforts in the gay community.

Some Ford dealers, particularly in the South, say the boycott hurt sales and while AFA chairman Donald Wildmon declines to be interviewed, he says Ford will cease advertising on gay Web sites and throughout gay media outlets, including magazines, television and radio. Neither will it make corporate donations to gay organizations that engage in political or social campaigns to promote civil unions or same-sex marriage.

The company has been scaling back across the board, due to slumping U.S. sales, and claims its principles haven't changed. "We are committed to treating everyone fairly and with respect, including our dealers, customers and employees," said a spokesman. But publishers of gay media are feeling the pinch: "The AFA has made my life very difficult. They have scared the crap out of some of my advertisers," says Joe LaMuraglia, founder of Gaywheels.com, Atlanta.

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