IT’S NOT OK: Boycott TV3 and companies who undermine the prevention of sexual violence

UPDATED: Wed 25
Thank you to the literally hundreds of you who sent a strong message to businesses who advertised during TV3’s screening of “Fifty Shades of Grey” from 8.30pm – an R18 movie which features, promotes and normalises sexual violence and emotional abuse under the guise of ‘entertainment’..
AMI INSURANCE responded with an encouraging note:
“I can assure you that we don’t condone or support plot lines in any programmes that promote or glorify such themes and we are discussing with our media buying agency as the positioning of our brand is very important to us.”
And LOTTO said:
“Our media placement policy is intended to ensure that our ads do not feature during certain shows. In light of feedback about last night’s placement, our Marketing team are reviewing our placement policies to ensure our advertising placements align with our brand values. We appreciate you taking the time to share your feedback about this placement and would like to apologise for any concern this may have caused.”
We also had a productive discussion with MAG AND TURBO who understood our concerns (although we did apologise for using the email address from their website which went to a person rather than a generic business email which we prefer).
These are great responses from businesses who have heard your voice. Yet so many companies have failed to respond.
As one supporter reminded us, it is ironic for example that the company which runs BARGAIN BOX withdrew their advertising immediately following the Chief’s stripper scandal – yet they have (at time of writing this) failed to respond to your concerns. They correctly said at the time of the Chief’s scandal, “It doesn’t align with our family values, it’s not something we want to condone … At the end of the day we are a family-centric business and it doesn’t align with the views of our team and our customers and so we just have to draw a line in the sand.”
WE AGREE – and that’s exactly what we’re asking all the businesses to do. Draw a line in the sand! It’s called corporate social responsibility. It’s time companies joined families in telling the entertainment media to ‘clean their act up’.
A number of businesses will argue that they were not aware that their advertisement would be featured during the movie. We accept that – but we are asking them to review their advertising policy, and to send a clear message to TV3 that ‘it’s not ok’.
Some of the emails we provided didn’t seem to work, so if you still want to make contact with any or all of the companies who have so far failed to respond, here’s an updated list (ignore the list sent through earlier this week).

MEDIAWORKS (TV3, MORE FM, THE EDGE, THE ROCK) [email protected]
MONTEITHS http://www.monteiths.co.nz/Contact-Us
HARVEY NORMAN http://www.harveynorman.co.nz/customer-services/contact-us.html
JIF-IT & SIMPLE https://www.unilever.com.au/contact/contact-form/
SMITH AND SMITH https://www.smithandsmith.co.nz/email-smithsmith-glass/?no_cache=1
MEADOW FRESH [email protected]
FARMERS https://www.farmers.co.nz/contactus.aspx
VODAFONE http://www.vodafone.co.nz/contact/form/
MICHAEL HILL JEWELLER [email protected]
MOLEMAP [email protected]
REXONA https://secure.rexona.co.nz/contactus
TOWER INSURANCE [email protected]
NEW WORLD https://www.newworld.co.nz/contact-us/
MCDONALDS https://mcdonalds.co.nz/contact-us
PAK N SAVE http://www.paknsave.co.nz/contact-us/
JENNY CRAIG [email protected]
SLEEPYHEAD https://www.sleepyhead.co.nz/contactus
BURGER KING [email protected]
SUBARU https://www.subaru.co.nz/about-subaru/contact-subaru
POSTIE PLUS [email protected]
PERSIL https://www.persil.co.nz/contact/
PAPER PLUS [email protected]
BARGAIN BOX [email protected]
GJ GARDINER https://www.gjgardner.co.nz/english/contact-us/
GEM FINANCE [email protected]
P&O CRUISES [email protected]
TURNERS CAR AUCTIONS [email protected]
HUNTER FURNITURE [email protected]
Thank you for speaking up for community standards, saying NO to sexual violence, and promoting the protection of families.
As Tammy Bruce puts it so well, “Unless we act now, we are doomed at the hands of special interest groups on the Left who want nothing more than to undermine our ability to judge right from wrong in order to foist their own selfish, anything-goes society on the rest of us.”

Bob McCoskrie
National Director
 
 
 
TV3 ignored our call and last night screened “Fifty Shades of Grey” – an R18 movie which features, promotes and normalises sexual violence and emotional abuse under the guise of ‘entertainment’ – at 8.30pm.
It’s time to send a clear message that IT’S NOT OK.
Ironically, during this R18 movie, TV3 advertised the Monday night movie – “Nanny McPhee“! What a contrast. Also ironic was an advert for Shine – a government-funded anti-domestic violence organisation!
While TV3 are quick to broadcast and rightly condemn the sexual actions of the ‘RoastBusters’ and Donald Trump, they have no issue with showing an R18 movie in the 8.30pm slot which normalises and glamorises sexual violence. This is called selective morality, and shows their hypocrisy.
TAKE ACTION:
As promised, below are the businesses that advertised during the movie.
If you do want to contact the businesses listed, you can use our default letter – or construct your own. Either is good. You may choose not to boycott their product but to simply let them know of your concerns about them advertising during this R18 movie. This is the suggested letter that you can use, or amend, or ignore. 🙂

Our family is disappointed that your business purchased advertising during the screening of the R18 movie “Fifty Shades of Grey” on TV3 on Sunday night at 8.30pm during the school holidays.
By broadcasting this movie, TV3 has undermined efforts of NZ’ers to eliminate sexual violence and to support victims and families. And your advertising dollar has funded this.
We realise that you may not have been fully aware of the placement times of your advertisements, BUT there has been extensive media coverage leading up to the broadcast and we would have hoped that you would have taken action to ensure you weren’t associated with this screening.
TV3 has been quick to broadcast and rightly condemn the sexual actions of the ‘RoastBusters’ and Donald Trump, but they have no issue with showing an R18 movie in the 8.30pm slot which normalises and glamorises sexual violence and emotional abuse.
This movie and the messages it normalises should be rejected by everyone who is concerned about family and sexual violence. It’s not OK. We know that, but our young people may not be sure.
Because of your association with the movie despite calls by families not to be, our family has made the decision to boycott your business.
If, and when, your business makes a public apology, we will withdraw our boycott.
Please join us in saying “It’s Not OK” – ever.
Yours sincerely

Thank you for joining us in standing for the protection of families!
“ALL that is NECESSARY for the TRIUMPH of EVIL is that good people do NOTHING.”
Edmund Burke

 
 
 
Bob McCoskrie
National Director