>> Budweiser has made a last minute decision to drop its traditional Olympics party spot and pull out all of their employees, reportedly because the company is uncomfortable with the situation in Sochi.
Tandis que les annonceurs s’arrachent encore la visibilité autour des Jeux, non seulement la très populaire marque américaine de bières n’a pas acheté de publicité, préférant concentrer ses efforts sur le Super Bowl 2014 et la « Coupe du monde » qui aura lieu au Brésil cet été, mais elle vient également de prendre une décision de dernière minute : Il n’y aura pas cette année à Sotchi de « Club Bud »… du moins pour le moment.
Cette « fête promotionnelle » devenue une tradition qui contribuait pourtant à la réputation de la compagnie depuis les jeux de Turin en 2006, et ceux de Vancouver en 2010, est incompatible avec la législation répressive qui nuit à la bonne humeur et à la société de la diversité, sans oublier les menaces et risques d’attentats.
Budweiser retire donc son personnel et rejoint le groupe de télécommunications AT&T qui avait déjà exprimé mardi dernier son «espoir que d’autres (entreprises) impliquées dans les jeux Olympiques fassent la même chose», et s’opposent aux lois anti-LGBT en Russie, ainsi que la marque de yaourts et desserts lactés Chobani.
Sad 🙂
Terry G. STOP HOMOPHOBIE
>> In the past, Budweiser was known for hosting huge parties — like the Club Bud bashes during the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver and at the 2006 Olympics in Turin.
But we’ve learned … the King of Beers has decided it won’t be throwing a similar party at the ’14 Games … at least, that’s the plan for now.
In fact, we’ve seen an email from a Budweiser rep which says the company does not want its U.S.-based representatives in Sochi … and the message is clear — the terrorist threat is simply looming too large.
A rep for Anheuser-Busch confirms to TMZ Sports … there will be no Club Bud in Sochi — but the rep didn’t give a reason for why the company is not throwing the party.
The CEO of Chobani yogurt, a U.S. Olympic Committee sponsor (USOC), told CNBC “We oppose Russia’s anti-LGBT law.”
Chobani follows AT&T’s lead, after two days ago denouncing Russia’s anti-gay law and encouraging other USOC sponsors to do the same.
In a post on its consumer blog Tuesday, the telecom giant wrote: “We support LGBT equality globally and we condemn violence, discrimination and harassment targeted against LGBT individuals everywhere. Russia’s law is harmful to LGBT individuals and families, and it’s harmful to a diverse society.”
The Human Rights Campaign applauded AT&T for taking a public stand:
Today, AT&T courageously recommitted itself to fairness, equality and basic human rights. AT&T should be recognized for showing true leadership in opposing this hateful Russian law, and other sponsors that have failed to lead should take corrective action immediately. A company that claims to support LGBT equality should do so wherever it operates, not just in the United States, and we call on all Olympic Sponsors to follow AT&T’s lead and publicly denounce Russia’s anti-LGBT law.
The United Nations secretary-general Ban Ki-moon, used a speech ahead of the Winter Olympics in Sochi to condemn attacks on the LGBT community.
He addressed the International Olympic Committee today before Friday’s opening ceremony, highlighting the fact that the theme of the UN’s human rights day last December was “sport comes out against homophobia”.
“Many professional athletes, gay and straight, are speaking out against prejudice. We must all raise our voices against attacks on lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or intersex people,” he said. “We must oppose the arrests, imprisonments and discriminatory restrictions they face.”
“The United Nations stands strongly behind our own ‘free and equal’ campaign, and I look forward to working with the IOC, governments and other partners around the world to build societies of equality and tolerance. Hatred of any kind must have no place in the 21st century.“
