• by Seana Mulcahy , December 19, 2005

I sit writing to you on this cold Monday morning of an action-packed week. It seems like everywhere I went this weekend, there were crowds and traffic. Many colleagues and clients have started or will be taking time off. I myself have been rushing to get campaigns wrapped up, proposals out, year-end expenses in while trying to shop for the holidays.

Several times this weekend I saw similar reports popping up in broadcast news, online and on the radio. In Manhattan, a guy put a display of a Santa with a knife in hand holding a bloody doll head. On a nearby tree were several bloody Barbie heads. In Florida, a guy put a large, almost life-sized Santa doll up in a tree, being hung by a noose. When questioned, those who perpetrated these stunts had a similar answer: They were protesting the commercialization of Christmas.

I'm not sure if you've heard of the American Family Association or not. The AFA, of Tupelo Miss., is a pro-family advocacy organization with over two million online supporters.

The group hit the news hard in its boycott of Target. In a press release the organization stated it was due to Target's advertising and in-store promotions not including the word "Christmas" in them.

Apparently about 700,000 people had signed up on the conservative Christian group's Web site to join in boycotting Target. As a result, Target officially stated, "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."

AFA Chairman Donald E. Wildmon then called off the boycott of Target.

Wal-Mart was just banned by a Catholic advocacy group for promoting Hanukkah and Kwanzaa. Certainly the number-one retailer wasn't excluding Christmas, it was including other holidays to be sensitive and conscientious.

What the heck is going on in the world? Well, I for one have always been sensitive to other cultures and religions. I'm known for being politically correct in saying, "Happy Holidays." Any advertising I have done for any client has always reflected broad-reaching copy that does not hone in on one specific religion or holiday. It also tends to include visuals of men and women, both young and old. Many times it incorporates images of white, black, Asian and Indian people.

However, no matter how conscious you can ever be, as a marketer or advertiser someone is always going to complain. Perhaps you've been told to include disabled people in your shoot. Or maybe you've just resorted to plain ole copy. Now it seems like you can't promote just one holiday... one sale... a specific date on the calendar. Have Americans gone too far? How PC can we actually be?

Check out some blogs and you'll find a whole slew of folks out there who want to ban Christmas celebrations in school, take away any Christian icons like mangers, or trees, or Santas from public places, and boycott what they call commercialization.

Because you bought your sister the latest iPod on sale online, does that mean you've lost the true spirit of giving? If you don't include every holiday in your ads could you get slammed? Perhaps you'll be like Target and not mention Christmas at all. Then what happens? Do you risk being boycotted?

As advertisers and marketers, should we be worried that these threats and actions from such extreme groups will damage our businesses and our beloved brands? How do we address these issues? Post your thoughts on the Spin Board. No, we don't always agree but we have a collective voice and we are multidenominational.

In the meantime, I'm going to cruise through my work, wrap up my year end, wait for my packages to arrive so I can wrap them, put them under my tree and wait for Santa to come to our house. So whatever religion you subscribe to and whatever holiday you celebrate, I hope it's happy for you and yours.