From: Ian Johnson OUT NOW <Ian.Johnson@OutNowConsulting.com>
Sent: Tuesday, July 22, 2008 3:27:15 PM
Subject: Media Release: South Carolina "So Gay" Campaign -- Who Really Did What?
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
South Carolina "So Gay" Campaign -- Who Really Did What?
LONDON, (OUT NOW) -- July 22, 2008 -- In the ongoing saga that the South Carolina Parks Recreation and Tourism (SCPRT) Department has been involved in during the past two weeks, new information has just been released.
According to Out Now, the agency that created the "So Gay" advertising campaign for gay travel specialist, Amro Worldwide, there have been knowingly incorrect statements made by the office headed by Chad Prosser of the SCPRT.
"The employee forced to resign is by no means a 'low level' employee -- as was very widely reported last week by official SCPRT spokespeople," said Ian Johnson, CEO of Out Now .
"That person who approved the "So Gay" advertising campaign, and was later forced to resign by SCPRT, is the International Sales Manager, responsible for the UK -- a person with more than a decade of management experience and an immense amount of respect within the global tourism marketing community," said Johnson.
"To hear reports that a 'low level' employee resigned gives the public the wrong impression that this campaign did not get approved by proper decision making channels," Johnson added. "That is not the case, The correct decision maker made a business decision to proceed with the campaign. There is no way this person can be described as 'low level'. At all times everyone involved in the process - Out Now, Amro Worldwide, the SCPRT London reps and the International Sales Manager at SCPRT made decisions based on what is best for increasing revenues for the South Carolina tourism industry. What changed two weeks ago is that politicians decided to involve themselves, and it was then that a resignation was forced with the 'official' reports emanating from the office headed by Chad Prosser being that this employee was a 'low level' one."
According to the Chief Executive of Amro Worldwide, Andrew Roberts, they have been paid in full for the campaign. "Amro Worldwide has received full payment from the London representatives of SCPRT -- a company called Travel and Tourism Marketing -- TTM World -- who have acted in the utmost good faith at every stage in the advertising approval process," said Roberts. "Amro Worldwide is currently considering reimbursing TTM World for their loss, but we think it quite disgraceful that an official State government body would behave in this manner. Not paying representatives and forcing a senior manager to resign seems out of all proportion with our simple but effective gay travel marketing campaign. On top of all that, it saddens me that the hard working folk in the SC tourism industry -- who this campaign was designed to help, look set to suffer loss for years to come due to the homophobic reaction of their elected representatives."
"This looks like a simple case of political interference, pure and simple," said Johnson. "In an election year, in a red State, you have politicians thinking there might be a few votes in a bit of gay bashing. Not a good look for the majority of South Carolinians who -- judging from the many supportive messages received by both Out Now and Amro Worldwide -- are appalled by the conduct of their elected representatives."
Further information contact:
Ian Johnson
CEO, Out Now
Tel: (Each number can reach Ian Johnson)
Belgium +32-2-514 6443
UK: +44-20-8123 5288
US: +1-310-878 4878
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