Remember when pickles, buttered buns and fried chicken filets were all we could talk about over the summer? I'm referring, of course, to the big brouhaha over Chick-fil-A (catch up here, here, here, here and here if you happened to be stranded on a deserted island during that time).
Now comes an update from USA Today.
The headline:
Chick-fil-A thrives because of support for families
The top of the story:
Chick-fil-A has something not all that surprising to crow about.
Consumer use, visits and ad awareness were all up measurably in the third quarter, at a time the chicken chain enjoyed a remarkable outpouring of support from consumers, reports research specialist Sandelman & Associates.
Intense national media and social media attention — much of it positive — was heaped on the chain three months ago, after President Dan Cathy told a religious publication that his company was "guilty as charged" in supporting the biblical definition of the family unit.
Supporters of the Atlanta-based chicken chain caused long lines and traffic jams across the country as they rallied for Chick-fil-A. At the same time, a few gay rights groups called for boycotts, but company executives reiterated their long-standing love and appreciation for all customers — even those who disagree with Cathy's position.
Oops! I am messing with you. That is not actually how USA Today reported the story.
Here is the actual headline:
Chick-fil-A thrives despite gay rights issue
And the actual lede:
Chick-fil-A has something unexpected to crow about.
Consumer use, visits and ad awareness were all up measurably in the third quarter, at a time the chicken chain appeared to be taking a public relations drubbing, reports research specialist Sandelman & Associates.
Intense national media and social media attention — much of it negative — was heaped on the chain three months ago, after President Dan Cathy told a religious publication that his company was "guilty as charged" in supporting the biblical definition of the family unit.
Many gay rights groups called for boycotts, and company executives seemed to be put on the defensive. At the same time, supporters of the Atlanta-based chicken chain held rallies outside stores. The national media couldn't get enough of it.
Hmmmm, not much subtlety in the worldview of the reporter cranking out that version of the story, huh?
A few journalistic questions: Who is the source on Chick-fil-A's success being "unexpected?" At the closest Chick-fil-A to my office (and yes, I live in the Bible Belt), the drive-thru is a madhouse every day. Folks in orange vests direct traffic in the parking lot, and runners zip back and forth between the long line and the window swiping credit cards and delivering bags full of delectable chicken sandwiches.
Concerning "public relations drubbing," again, who is the source (besides the bias of the writer and his editor)?
About the "negative" social media attention, any statistics available on how many folks tweeted and Facebooked positive posts about Chick-fil-A vs. negative messages? Or is this a simple case of a MSM bubble?
Later in the story, there's this:
Chick-fil-A declined comment.
Last month, the chain seemed to soften its tone. "Our intent is not to support political or social agendas," Steve Robinson, executive vice president for marketing for Chick-fil-A, said in a statement. Chick-fil-A's culture, he said, "is to treat every person with honor, dignity and respect — regardless of their belief, race, creed, sexual orientation or gender."
That softened tone sounds familiar. It's almost as if the company said basically the same thing more than a year and a half ago before this latest controversy started. From a January 2011 statement by Cathy:
In recent weeks, we have been accused of being anti-gay. We have no agenda against anyone. At the heart and soul of our company, we are a family business that serves and values all people regardless of their beliefs or opinions. We seek to treat everyone with honor, dignity and respect, and believe in the importance of loving your neighbor as yourself.
We also believe in the need for civility in dialogue with others who may have different beliefs. While my family and I believe in the Biblical definition of marriage, we love and respect anyone who disagrees.
Keep reading, and PR execs quoted by USA Today try to figure out how Chick-fil-A overcame such a dreadful "PR disaster."
Yeah, I wonder.
Image of Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day via Shutterstock