Hannity, GM Sweeps Draws Fire
The promotion, dubbed The Sean Hannity You’re A Great American Car Giveaway, uses the conservative radio show as the platform for consumers to enter for a chance to win GM vehicles. The promotion broke last week with one winner selected each week for five weeks; those selected can choose one of three vehicles as their prize. Vehicles include the Pontiac G6 Convertible, Saturn Aura and the Chevy HHR. Consumers register at Hannity.com.
As the sweeps shifted into gear on Sept. 28, criticism peaked around GM’s decision to partner with Hannity, known for his outspoken opinions, conservative views and stance against anti-war proponents and homosexual supporters. He has been criticized in the past for allowing controversial guests such as Hal Turner—viewed by some as a racist and anti-Semitic—on his WABC radio show.
Over the weekend, Internet sites and blogs buzzed about the promotion. Web site Thinkprogress.org, run by a liberal group, has logged more than 400 comments and counting on the issue. One consumer wrote GM’s CEO a letter “informing him that I will not purchase anything from a company that hires spokesmen that demonize half of the U.S. voting population.” Another, written to GM’s VP-Marketing Mark LaNeve said: “I own two GM vehicles, but cannot imagine buying another from a company that doesn’t even grasp why Mr. Hannity might be a problem. I don’t want my vehicles made by fools.”
GM said it did not hire Hannity as a spokesperson for the promotion. However, Hannity’s program boasts a listening audience of 13 million each week (the second-largest in the country behind Rush Limbaugh), a large reach for an automaker like GM. Hannity’s Web site, where the sweeps banner is prominently displayed, also logs 28 million page views a month.
On car enthusiast site Jalopnik.com, which has almost 30 comments on the uproar so far, Hannity’s book Deliver Us From Evil—which criticizes Democrats for exploiting the war to their political advantage—has a head shot of Hannity on the cover blocked out with a GM logo and the title Deliver Us From Evil Automakers.
While some comments include expletives, others are more tepid or indifferent about the campaign, which ends Nov. 3.
“We’re talking about advertising here. And Hannity has a sizable audience with a proven record of supporing [sic] the shows sponsors. So what? Seems like a smart business move to me,” wrote one consumer on Jalopnik.com.
And another on Jalopnik.com wrote: “I genuinely have no clue why people are reacting like this towards a stupid ad campaign. Just because they disagree with Hannity’s views? Seems pretty facist [sic] to me, actually.”
Hannity can be heard promoting the sweeps and announcing winners on ABC Radio Networks on more than 500 radio stations in 50 of the top 50 markets. Hannity also heads up Fox News Channel’s Hannity & Colmes program.
So far, GM has been weathering the firestorm.
“We use a wide variety of marketing and advertising venues…and from time to time we do something that’s controversial,” said Tom Wilkinson, GM spokesperson. “It’s hard to think of any venue that might not be controversial to somebody.”
Two years ago, GM gave away 276 Pontiac G6s to audience members of the Oprah Winfrey Show. “We’re sure there is somebody who was not happy with what we did with Oprah; there probably isn’t anything we do that doesn’t raise one set of eyebrows,” Wilkinson said.
As a precaution, GM has developed a team that monitors comments and postings on Internet and blog sites regarding its promotions. Will it pull the plug on the Hannity giveaway? It’s unlikely.
“We usually try to find out if there is a real concern or if there is small group of people generating discussion,” Wilkinson said. “[Having a discussion] is healthy and it’s part of America. People are paying attention to what you’re doing.”
