Chick-fil-a Support Day and Free Speech

[AOII Angel]

Originally Posted by UGAalum94

I'm probably way too cynical about the motivation here, but I think that some of the kiss-in advocates are hoping for a really hostile reaction which they will then be able to publicize as evidence of Chick-fil-a's homophobia.

Generally, I don't expect that to be the outcome. I think you'll get 99% + Chick-fil-a personnel AND customers behaving fine.

But I'm a little concerned about idiotic members of the public deciding that this is their chance to get some attention and then efforts being made to suggest that those idiots are representative of Chick-fil-a somehow.

Even if there are some confrontations that get a lot of media play, I doubt it helps same sex marriage advocates much.

ETA: I understand not wanting to increase Chick-fil-a profits that then go to Winshape and through Winshape to groups that support heterosexual families over same sex families. But it would almost seem to me that if you expect a Chick-fil-a boycott to be effective somehow beyond just the initial awareness campaign, it would have made sense to have a Friends of Same Sex Marriage Chick-fil-a Day before you started the boycott. That way you could demonstrate the level of support that was likely to be withdrawn, and local operators could appreciate how many people they know would prefer Chick-fil-a back off the issue. Who knows if it would really matter? But it just seems like a better way to achieve long term ends than seeming to instigate a lot of polarizing rhetoric.

I don't think having a day set aside to give more money to a company you oppose would be an effective way to decrease the amount of money they have to give to the charities and hate groups that are at the center of this controversy.

[UGAalum94]

Originally Posted by AOII Angel

I don't think having a day set aside to give more money to a company you oppose would be an effective way to decrease the amount of money they have to give to the charities and hate groups that are at the center of this controversy.

I guess I feel like there are a lot of people out there who don't oppose the company, but who may oppose only the company's advocacy in this area.

I think tapping this group is more likely to really impact who Chick-fil-a gives too. And a sort of positive approach could swing more people in the middle than a polarizing one.

But certainly, I don't expect boycotters to compromise and give CFA money. ETA: it's just that this group of boycotters is likely to be such a small segment of Chick-fil-a's customers as to not hurt most stores very much. The stores more likely to be affected are the stores probably least into the whole corporate ideology. So boycotters will get individual satisfaction in acting on their beliefs but won't achieve much broader success.

[AOII Angel]

Originally Posted by UGAalum94

I guess I feel like there are a lot of people out there who don't oppose the company, but who may oppose only the company's advocacy in this area.

I think tapping this group is more likely to really impact who Chick-fil-a gives too. And a sort of positive approach could swing more people in the middle than a polarizing one.

But certainly, I don't expect boycotters to compromise and give CFA money. ETA: it's just that this group of boycotters is likely to be such a small segment of Chick-fil-a's customers as to not hurt most stores very much. The stores more likely to be affected are the stores probably least into the whole corporate ideology. So boycotters will get individual satisfaction in acting on their beliefs but won't achieve much broader success.

Maybe, maybe not. One day of lining up does not save a company's profits. We will see what happens in a year. The people that showed up yesterday are the other end of the spectrum. You have to be REALLY motivated to stand in line for hours just to show those liberals that you support CFA. It's lot easier to NOT go there and eat on any other day. Also, for the people who are in between the two ends of the spectrum, they are likely to be effected by the negative publicity. CFA's brand approval ratings have already taken a hit.

[UGAalum94]

Originally Posted by AOII Angel

Maybe, maybe not. One day of lining up does not save a company's profits. We will see what happens in a year. The people that showed up yesterday are the other end of the spectrum. You have to be REALLY motivated to stand in line for hours just to show those liberals that you support CFA. It's lot easier to NOT go there and eat on any other day. Also, for the people who are in between the two ends of the spectrum, they are likely to be effected by the negative publicity. CFA's brand approval ratings have already taken a hit.

I agree that we'll have to see over time. I think Chick-fil-a sales will be way up over the short term and pretty close to to last's year's three months from now.

I think the number of people involved in a long term boycott is likely to be small. I think the number of people involved in the boycott who previously ate a lot of chick-fil-a is even tinier.

I don't think most people eating at Chick-fil-a yesterday were at the "opposite end of the spectrum." I think they are a pretty representative sample of people who have affection for the brand and their local stores.

The brand approval ratings may or may not translate into a change in sales. I feel great about Weigman's; I've only been there once in my life.