Should Businesses Advertise Political Leanings?
Is it smart to share your political views when you advertise your business? Ask this guy:
A west Georgia business owner has been deluged with calls and emails after posting signs on his company’s trucks that say he’s not hiring anyone until President Barack Obama leaves office.
Waco-based U.S. Cranes LLC owner Bill Looman tells WXIA-TV that reaction has been so intense he’s had to disconnect his phones and temporarily shut down the company’s website.
He posted the signs on his company’s trucks for other motorists to see on roads and interstates across the South. The signs proclaim “New Company Policy: We are not hiring until Obama is gone.”
Looman says he’s not refusing to hire employees to make a political point. He told WXIA he can’t afford to hire anyone because of the economy, and he blames the people in power.
Looman isn’t the only one who has done this. Check out this link for a great (and we think bizarre) example of a small businessman advertising his social agenda on the back of his business.
PR tip: Don’t do this–especially if your business depends on customers from a wide strata of beliefs, creeds and social groups. It’s just not smart. It may feel good in the short run, but ultimately you’re probably shooting yourself in the foot.
Why intentionally say or do anything to repel potential customers?
