Randy Cassingham's Blog

E-mail makes it easy to complain. Too easy. I find people will literally complain about anything they see online. Recently, True ran a few paid ads for an inkjet refill company. In the last week I got several complaints about those ads. Because the ink was bad? No, people seem to like the product. It was the wording in the ads that caused the complaints:

I want to comment on the implied bigotry in the ad. "Your Christian source for ink/toner" implies that being Christian is somehow superior, and it follows that non-Christians are inferior. They're entitled to think that, of course. Most people believe that their beliefs are superior to those of others. But that has nothing to do with their product or their service. To include it in their ad says that they think we should do business with them because of their religion, and that smacks of bigotry. I will make it a point to avoid this company and any others that advertise this way. --Isaac in AOLville

Isaac isn't a lone nut. James, who also didn't say where he's located, jumps in with: "I have enjoyed your service, but I am unwilling to support the [inkjet] ad and will unsubscribe. I am not willing to encourage the promotion of the Christian faith. Even if I were, I would find the ad offensive because of its undoubtedly incorrect implication that other ink suppliers are not Christian. Not only is this attempt to take business away from other Christians in this manner not a Christian act, but this public flaunting of faith, especially for commercial purposes, is opposed to the teachings of Jesus as I understand them." And these two weren't the only ones.

Let me see if I've got this right: If an advertiser says they're "the source for high-quality widgets," what they're really saying is that everyone else that sells widgets is trying to pawn off low-quality widgets? Or if they say they're a "family-owned" company they're really right-wing polygamists trying preach that people who don't have children are evil? Get a grip, people! Repeat after me: They're ads. The companies pay for their space. Every now and then, readers object to certain ads. As a matter of policy, I already reject all advertisements for "adult" (porn) sites/services, alcohol and tobacco products, gambling, and any service or product which is illegal in the United States. This does impact True quite a bit; I obviously need to sell ads in order to make it possible to give away free entertainment to a such a huge worldwide audience, but I feel I must draw the line somewhere. Beyond that, I give advertisers a pretty free rein. It is, in other words, up to advertisers to decide how they want to be perceived through their ads. If you don't like the way an advertiser comes across, here's my recommendation: don't buy the product or service advertised! If you do like the ad, or think you might want or need the product or service, then click through to get more details. This isn't rocket science, folks.

And some people wonder why I shrug off the incessant whining criticism of ads that have a bit of controversy to them? Dotcoms are falling like flies at my feet, yet I'm able to keep my ad slots mostly full lately -- the dotcoms that are left need to remind people that not all of the companies that sell online are dead. (Some of us are actually thriving, in fact.) Bottom line, anyone who really thinks I'm going to turn down a paid ad because the company's owner is proud of his faith just reminds me of one thing: the world is never, ever going to run out of stupid people for me to write about!