In class we discussed how Alberta Beef ran a campaign in order to change the attitudes people had towards beef because of the mad cow disease outbreak. While their campaign had a dominant positive reaction in change of attitude, this is not always the case.
Chick-fil-A is an American fast food restaurant with a corporate culture that is influenced by Christian beliefs., for example it does not open on Sundays. It was found to have sponsored anti-gay marriage conferences, and its owner Dan Cathy was quoted as strongly supporting “the traditional family”.
This caused a change in attitudes among many people. For many LGBT supporters this is what happened, in context of “think, feel and do”
LGBT supporters
- Think: Chick-fil-A is against the LGBT community
- Feel: Hatred and disdain towards it
- Do: Boycott (53% of all people surveyed said they would boycott)
Anti-LGBT
- Think: Chick-fil-A stands for Christian values
- Feel: Pride in the company
- Do: Appreciation Day, show up and buy more to show appreciation (projected to have increased that day’s sales by 29.9%)
I just found it interesting how one issue could shift attitudes so much, not just in one direction but in both ways; positively and negatively at the same time. Consumer behavior can be changed really easily in the wrong direction if not careful.
While fear and health can drive people to think much less rationally, sensitive political issues can do the same; after all Chick-fil-A was not wrong to express its freedom of speech, but because it did it angered many but also endeared many. Although this was not an explicit campaign, I believe it teaches us that it is very important to make sure when designing a campaign you ensure that only one desired message gets across.