I’m sure by this point you’ve seen or heard all the rage about the remarks that Phil Robertson, the star in the hit show Duck Dynasty made during an interview with GQ Magazine. Unless you live under a rock, it would be impossible to not have heard the rants and rages being thrown out about this Marketing Blitz. I for one have never even seen one episode, so I cant really comment on the show or the family of wanna-be ZZ Top impersonators act. 🙂

Here is my take on this from an outsider looking in – It’s all a Marketing Ploy that just so happened to come a week before the Christmas Shopping Blitz was to take place, and from the stats I’ve been reading about, A&E struck a home run with this one which you, the consumer has bought into Hook, Line and Sinker.

From an outsider looking in, this is beyond plain and simply marketing. Make the viewer feel like their favorite character has come under attack for his beliefs, and you the viewer/consumer will now spend your hard earned dollars to support those beliefs you align yourself with.

In the January issue of GQ, Robertson said homosexuality is a sin and puts it in the same category as bestiality and promiscuity. I’ll leave my personal comments out of this blog post since I don’t like to talk politics or question anyone on their religious beliefs. But reading the entire interview, (which I would only hope everyone of you would do before you feel the need to comment on the subject) Robertson was asked his opinion and gave an honest answer.

Don’t go in asking loaded questions and not expect a backlash knowing full and well that the topic of Gays and Lesbians can get as heated as the Abortion Issue in our ridiculous Politically Correct Society we live in these days.

Here is where I think this was all a ploy to make the pockets of A&E executives very wealthy. Which has worked flawlessly by the way.

The Robertson family owns the rights to their parent company Duck Commander which is what the show originally started about. So if you’re going to purchase ANYTHING to support this family, you need to do so off of that website and that website only.

A&E owns and has rights to merchandise that they have partnered with outside the Duck Commander website….stores like Wal-Mart and their own A&E Store that has apparel and posters pertaining to most of their top rated shows.

Since this media blitz on the Duck Dynasty Family has happened, Wal-Mart is having trouble keeping their shelves stocked with anything related to the Duck Dynasty name. So for all of you viewers and fans that are rushing out to the local Wally World to try and show your support for the Robertson family….WAKE UP, you’re really just padding the pockets of A&E, the same company you’re saying you’re going to ban.

Do you not think a company as large as A&E, with their marketing dollars and the teams of top advertising specialists they employ didn’t think this through? Just so you know, The A&E company is a joint venture between the Hearst Corporation and Disney-ABC Television Group, which is a subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company.

WAKE UP PEOPLE, if you want to support anyone during the Christmas Blitz, go back and re-read my recent post about starting the Dawn of a New Tradition. Spend your money on local artists and local people where you know your hard earned money will stay within your community. Stop throwing money at these giant networks and I’ll go as far as to say stop throwing money at the Robertson family unless you’re an avid duck hunter and are in need of a good duck call. From what I’ve read about them, they make a fantastic product. I for one do not duck hunt, so I’ll never be able to support them in their venture.

Merry Christmas everyone, shut off your TV’s and stop buying into this media ploy.