PTC Applauds Companies That Stopped Sponsoring Graphic Content on “Two and a Half Men”

Thirty-Two Percent of 2009 Sponsors Have Pulled Ads >From the Show

 

LOS ANGELES (September 24, 2009) – The Parents Television Council® congratulates the 31 companies that have removed their ads from CBS’ “Two and a Half Men” so far in 2009.

 

The PTC contacted each advertiser on CBS’ “Two and a Half Men” to warn them about the content of the show, which barrages viewers with sexual scenes and jokes, and frequently airs foul language.  There are countless jokes involving oral sex, male genitalia, and luring women into bed – and all of these situations often include dialogue with a child actor.  Out of 94 sponsors for the show from January 2009 – September 2009, PTC research found that 31 sponsors stopped advertising on the original series and on reruns. 

 

“Astoundingly, 32% of the 2009 sponsors of ‘Two and a Half Men’ have stopped advertising on the show.  We applaud these companies for exercising responsibility for their sponsorships.  Several of the companies that pulled their ads let us know that they shared PTC’s concerns and that the content of the show does not match up with their corporate image,” said PTC President Tim Winter.

 

For instance, in a July 2009 letter, a Lowe’s Executive Customer Service representative contacted the PTC regarding their advertising support of “Two and a Half Men,” saying that, “Lowe’s has strict guidelines that govern the placement of our advertising.  Since we don’t have enough lead-time on a local basis to view the shows, we have removed ‘Two and a Half Men’ from all of our local TV buys moving forward.”

 

“As the new fall season begins, we hope that more sponsors will add their names to this growing list of corporations which have chosen not to underwrite graphic content on ‘Two and a Half Men,’” said Winter.

 

The following is the list of advertisers that stopped advertising on “Two and a Half Men” in 2009:

 

T-Mobile

Honda

Saturn

Abbott Laboratories (Humira)

Bayer HealthCare LLC (One a Day Women’s)

Bristol Myers-Squibb Company

L’Oreal USA (Maybelline)

Pfizer (Lipitor)

Schering-Plough HealthCare Products, Inc.

Tate & Lyle (Splenda)

Tylenol

CSC Brands LP

Darden Restaurants (Red Lobster)

Frito-Lay North America, Inc.

General Mills

Kraft Foods

OSI Restaurant Partners, LLC

Papa John’s International, Inc.

Sunsweet Growers, Inc.

Best Buy

Lowe’s

Macy’s

Sears

Staples, Inc.

Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.

Aflac

AXA Equitable Life Insurance Company

Capital One

Chase Bank

Liberty Mutual

Royal Caribbean International