NON URBAN DICTATE
 

I received this email today. I thought it was quite interesting to say the least. The fact that names and numbers are provided leads me to think that there is some validity to this. I don't have any first hand information, but thought I would post it anyway.

Subject: NON URBAN DICTATE (N.U.D.)

You have probably never heard of "N. U. D. " With good reason. It is the
acronym for a very subtle and little known marketing term specifically
directed toward people of color. NUD stands for NON URBAN DICTATE. Three
words that essentially mean a company is not interested in the Black
Consumer. (A NUD label means that a company does not want their Marketing
and Advertising materials placed in media that claim an urban audience as
their main target.) There are legitimate reasons for companies not using
urban radio. It may be that Blacks don't index high in certain categories or
that a company's strategy is to market to the Black consumer down the road
after they have established a strong position in their primary target.

But an NUD usually means that a company is not interested in the Black
consumer. Companies evade discrimination liability by embracing it as theory
rather than policy. As a service to Black consumers, the Urban Institute
will list all Companies that have a NUD policy. Armed with this information,
we feel that Black consumers will be able to make informed buying decisions.



Companies with NUD:

America West Airlines
Aruba Tourism
Builders Square
Busy Body Fitness
Calico Corners
Ciba Vision
Comp USA
Continental Airlines
Don Pablo
Eddie Bauer
Ethan Allen
Grady Restaurant
HBO - Apollo Series
Jos. A. Bank
Keebler
Kindercare
Lexus
Life Savers
Mondavi Wines
Northwest Airlines
OM Scott
Paternal Importers
Pepperidge Farms
Starbucks
Weight Watchers

Please forward this information on to other consumers and advise them to do
likewise. Remember that we can't act wisely unless we are informed wisely.

Alfreda S. Thompson
IBM Corporate Community
Relations & Public Affairs
4111 Northside Parkway, L09F16
Atlanta, Georgia 30327
404-238-6665 (t/L 888) / FAX
404-238-6138

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I can, personally, speak to the "Northwest Airlines ATTITUDE". On a return
trip to Boston from Seattle, it consisted of two legs: (1) Seattle to
Minneapolis and
(2) Minneapolis to Boston. On re-boarding, in Minneapolis,
I was told that my seat had been assigned to another young man (WHITE, of
course) and I was to take another seat. When I informed that I had been
assigned that seat from Seattle to Minneapolis to Boston, the flight
attendant (white female) told me that there had been a mistake as my seat
had been assigned to the Minneapolis-boarding passenger (white male)from
Minneapolis to Boston.

If I had not been tired after a hectic week, I would have walked off that
plane IMMEDIATELY. However, I took the "high" road (so I could get home) and
filed this information in the comment sheet, provided in the seat pocket, by
mail. After not hearing anything for approximately three months, I wrote a
letter to the President of Northwest Airlines. Guess what? A young lady, who
identified herself as Boston Area Customer Relations Manager, called and
gave all kind of apologies for the
IDIOTIC actions of the flight attendant during my Minneapolis re-board. She
went on to say that they were giving more training (sensitivity, I suppose)
to the flight attendants as, evidently, mine was not the only recent
complaint. She was prepared to offer me a free flight on Northwest but I
told her that the ONLY time I would fly Northwest again was if my job
absolutely demanded it. She called back again, after about two weeks, to see
if I would reconsider their offer. I told her that, when I informed her
previously, my mind had been DEFINITELY made up. That was approximately
eight years ago and, to date, I have kept my word.

Ben Carter
Whatman Inc. - Nuclepore Process Business
Technical Service Department
200 Wells Avenue - Newton, MA 02459-3304 USA
Tel: 800-900-9314 or 781-878-1133, x6530



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Sigma Lambda Upsilon: Sincerity, Loyalty, Unity http://www.sigmalambdaupsilon.org

Hmmm...I saw this a couple of years ago as well.