Issues@Hand
AFA initiatives, Christian activism, news briefs
May 1995 – On Wednesday, February 22, AFA president Donald E. Wildmon sent Unilever chairman, Richard Goldstein, an overnight letter. In the letter, Wildmon showed Mr. Goldstein the results of the fall 1994 monitoring report which indicated Unilever was a leading sponsor of prime-time, network TV sex, violence and profanity. He expressed concern over Unilever’s advertising practices, and expressed a willingness to meet with Unilever to discuss Unilever’s rating, advertising guidelines and ways Unilever could improve its TV advertising on more acceptable shows.
Wildmon asked Goldstein to respond by March 5; otherwise AFA would assume Unilever is not concerned about their rating or interested in changing. Goldstein did not respond.
“From Unilever’s silence, one thing is very clear,” said Wildmon. “Unilever doesn’t think individuals will put their money where their values are and the best policy is to ignore them.”
The case against Unilever is solid. The company is a leading sponsor of TV sex, violence and profanity. It is the top sponsor of ABC’s R-rated NYPD Blue, giving almost twice as much advertising revenue to the program as any other NYPD Blue sponsor. Unilever is also a major sponsor of the sex-driven daytime TV talk shows such as Maury Povich, Geraldo, Donahue, and Sally Jesse Raphael.
The latest report shows that Unilever is a top sponsor of network TV shows which promote the homosexual lifestyle. In addition, the company uses sex to sell their Obsession perfume with ads depicting female and male nudity in several magazines.
“It is obvious that Unilever cares little about the values taught in the TV shows it helps sponsor or the magazine ads it uses to sell Obsession,” Wildmon said.
“Mr. Goldstein apparently thinks his Unilever products are so important in our lives that we prefer his products over the moral and spiritual well-being of our children. He obviously isn’t concerned about a boycott of Unilever products because he doesn’t feel that Christians and other concerned individuals care enough to act on their beliefs,” Wildmon stated.
AFA encourages individuals to write Goldstein a personal letter to let him know that Unilever products are no longer welcome in their homes and to call Unilever’s customer service 1-800-598-1223 to pass along the same message. (Please be polite.) 
Unilever United States Inc.
Pres. Richard A. Goldstein
390 Park Avenue
New York, NY 10022.
