- Chrysler is defending its sponsorship of NBC's The Playboy Club, after accusations of being "complicit in the act of mainstreaming pornography" by the Parents Television Council.
- "We recognize that not all advertising placement is liked by all individuals," a Chrysler spokesperson told Inside Line.
- The Parents Television Council, an advocacy group, is asking supporters to make personal visits to Chrysler and Dodge dealerships in protest.
LOS ANGELES — Chrysler is defending its sponsorship of NBC's The Playboy Club, after accusations of being "complicit in the act of mainstreaming pornography" by the Parents Television Council.
"We recognize that not all advertising placement is liked by all individuals," wrote Dianna C. Gutierrez, a Chrysler spokesperson, in response to an e-mailed query from Inside Line on Thursday. "We do not take this approach to offend, but we feel that it is important to deliver information about our products to a diverse and broad audience."
The Parents Television Council, an advocacy group, is asking supporters to call, send letters, and in the case of Chrysler and Dodge, "make personal visits to dealerships" to protest the sponsorship of The Playboy Club. The group is also targeting Unilever brands that were advertised during the show's premiere this week, including Hellmann's Mayonnaise and P.F. Chang's Home Menu.
"Every single company that sponsored the premiere episode of The Playboy Club is complicit in the act of mainstreaming pornography," said Tim Winter, president of the Parents Television Council in a statement. "With Playboy spelled out blatantly in the show title, no advertiser can claim to be surprised."
"This show is putting a sickening, glamorous sheen on an adult entertainment industry that destroys countless marriages and families," he added.
The Playboy Club delivered 5 million total viewers on Monday and a 1.6 rating in the critical 18-49 demographic at 10 p.m., according to The Hollywood Reporter. The industry publication characterized the show's results as "weak." NBC has argued that the show is about the empowerment of women.
The brouhaha over Chrysler's support of The Playboy Club is reminiscent of the famously controversial Dodge Lingerie Bowl, which was set for the 2004 Super Bowl. The auto brand backpedaled and withdrew its sponsorship of the event in the wake of widespread criticism about the objectification of women.
Inside Line says: The ratings are likely to be the final arbiter in this controversy.
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mariapan says:
08:51 AM, 10/19/2011
The Playboy club was a great show.These parents who object should not allow their children to watch it.they should not deprive adults from watching the show.I wonder how many of these children watch The Jersey Shore talk about porno HA
minininja says:
04:21 PM, 09/26/2011
I support the parents advocacy council and I am just a teenager. This show is disgusting and the fact that such disgusting objectified stuff out there is wrong. Mark my words when the porn industry is challenged in the supreme court Hugh Hefner will be a really poor man indeed.
bizzle1 says:
11:38 AM, 09/25/2011
Are you f*cking kidding me? What are we kids??? Leave Chrysler alone! Mopars rules!
danconia says:
11:38 PM, 09/24/2011
@agentorange - very, very well said. Ayn Rand would be proud and so am I!
danconia says:
11:36 PM, 09/24/2011
1. Who are these "Parents Television Council" people? Do they dictate what I can and can't watch? Ridiculous. They sound like they are actively trying to damage Chrysler's reputation. I would sue their flat butts off. We have no censorship in this country. Perhaps the PTC should move to an environment more suited to their views--like the Soviet Union around the same time that this show takes place.
2. There was less sex on this program than there is on Sesame Street. Part of what made it boring.
3. I am proud of Chrysler for sponsoring the show. It has a great look/feel but it lacks a direction. It's really just another incarnation of Don Draper with less interesting characters. But this is just Episode 1 and I am intrigued enough to keep watching.
4. Human sexuality, and female sexuality in particular is a wonderful thing and should be celebrated. Lot of a bitter people in the world. A woman is not beautiful forever. Nor is a man. When we're young, get the hell out of our way and let us enjoy our minds, our bodies and our attractiveness unless you want everyone to end up like Monroe--hated for her virtues...and beauty IS a virtue.
tbone85 says:
06:36 AM, 09/24/2011
Akula, do you come through this knowledge because you're the supplier? One has to be positively stupid to not understand drugs are everywhere. Maybe if you didn't already have a hard-on against American workers, or if you didn't believe that unless a story is on TV there's no problem you'd already know that. I'm SURE in your universe that the factory workers in Germany, Japan, and South Korea are completely drug free. I'm SURE that in your profession (assuming you have one) there are no drub users. Imagine the hypocrisy of a mind that would spout such drivel.
stovt001 says:
06:02 PM, 09/23/2011
I bet it would be fascinating to find out how much pornography Tim Winter views.
akula1 says:
05:45 PM, 09/23/2011
This is nothing compared to what the UAW guys actually do when they make Chryslers. Imagine the irony of a fleet of those new Dodge Charger Pursuit cars doing a drug raid on the Chrysler factory.
e90_m3 says:
01:26 PM, 09/23/2011
Anyone offended by a bit of legs and cleavage on TV should move to Saudi Arabia....
agentorange says:
12:28 PM, 09/23/2011
It never ceases to amaze me how so many in the US come over all Puritan and "Holier than thou" about a little bit of slap and tickle (if that much is shown) that can be dismissed from their environment with the press of a button. Which part of "freedom of choice" do you not understand. Wake up, smell the coffee and take some personal responsibility for you own lives, people, or should I call you sheeple?
Besides, Chrysler is here to make money, it has nothing to do with the direction of public morals. Indeed, it exists solely for the benefit of its shareholders and to maximise return pretty much at all costs. If they think they will sell more cars by sponsoring a show with odd flash of stocking top, good luck to them, it is their money.