PR Nightmare for Wine Company Supporting HSUS
Posted: February 4, 2010
The folks at Yellow Tail Wine must have thought they were making a great humane statement when they contributed $100,000 to the radical animal rights group HSUS and agreed to have “special [yellow tail] displays bearing The HSUS name and logo in stores across the country.”
Instead, it has turned into a public relations nightmare for the company, burning up the social media platforms with protests over their support of the group that is threatening animal agriculture production as we know it in this nation. An avalanche of postings on the [yellow tail] Facebook page and Twitter have caused the company to say on Facebook late yesterday “we’re listening. Check back soon, as we’ll be announcing news shortly on our Tails for Tails program.” Not sure what that means, but they are definitely getting an earful from unhappy consumers. They may not be able to get their $100,000 donation returned to them, but this is a real great example of how agriculture can be heard through social media.
To make a comment to [yellow tail] on Facebook, you have to first become a fan – then you can un-fan them. I am going to wait and see what they do first before taking the un-fan action. If they reconsider and take some positive action to regain the support of agriculture fans, I may just buy a whole case of their best to celebrate!
*Post Update* Go ahead and un-fan after you have made your views known. [yellow tail] didn’t quite get the point. Here is what the company announced: “Okay, there’s been good feedback here recently. Here’s an update on where our donation will be directed to celebrate animals: We’ve decided to use all of our $100K gift to aid animal rescue.” Right. That’s like telling the federal government where you want your tax dollars spent.
The awareness campaign is now going to the local level, since there will be special promotions through the end of March featuring [yellow tail] and HSUS. Time to let your local wine retailer know what HSUS is and why you won’t support anyone who supports them.
PlantDrEMB Said,
February 4, 2010 @ 3:27 pm
Regardless of what they do. Drink Local! Check out your state’s wineries. Ask at your local shop for suggestions or at least buy Made in USA
alice in LALA land Said,
February 5, 2010 @ 1:17 pm
Yellow Tail has come out with a new statement.. all of the $$ is going to “animal rescue”.. hey Guess what.. the “animal rescue” just happens to be the HSUS.. don’t be fooled.. boycott Yellow Tail.. Drink American wines…
Corn Hugger » Blog Archive » Questionable Yellow Tail Donations…and the Power of Social Media Said,
February 5, 2010 @ 2:37 pm
[...] Corn Commentary [...]
Eden Springs Said,
February 5, 2010 @ 7:19 pm
You can also email their US Distributor directly at:
info@wjdeutsch.com
The big question here is why is an AUSTRALIAN company making a donation to HSUS in the first place?
Friends don’t let friends donate to HSUS…
Janet C. Said,
February 7, 2010 @ 2:20 pm
Sadly there is rarely ever animal rescue rather animal confiscation by “deployment” and their animal “swat team”, wearing shiny gold badges that mean nothing. Dogs, cats, cattle, horses, ducks, goats all taken. Since Yellow Tail originates in Australia remind them that HSUS is akin to RSPCA in their native Australia…..and maybe they should have given to them….HSUS is more rogue than RSPCA. Since HSUS has been working iwth animal control in Dallas, one may want to read this story.
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/localnews/
columnists/sblow/stories/020510dnmetblow.3dd140f.html
This is what HSUS is responsible for. Taking animals from homes who have responsible people taking care of them…..and it could be your cows, or the chickens or the cattle, especially those meat generating animals or those used for pleasure. They are just like PETA against it all. Yellow Tail will have to learn the hard way.
Groundswell of oppostion greets company’s support for animal-rights group « ToughSledding Said,
February 7, 2010 @ 5:19 pm
[...] opposition to the YT-HSUS partnership has shown up in agricultural publications and pro-farm websites. It’s also generating buzz via social media and mainstream media. Hunters have [...]
Annette Cutliff Said,
February 8, 2010 @ 5:32 pm
You can also google them and just send an e-mail message. They confirmed the message received and said they would get back to me soon. Will wait for reply?
John Jackson Said,
February 9, 2010 @ 8:45 am
I have worked with Austrailians, been there, drink their wine and make a significant portion of my income from animal agriculture. I will never drink any more Yellow Tail wine. Your decision was wrong headed and short sighted.
Dwight Claypoole Said,
February 9, 2010 @ 10:18 am
This just goes to show the intelligence of some executives.
Thank god these people are not in to agriculture. We would all be starving. I have farmed for 40 years and have been a steward
of my cattle. God forgive them for they no not what they do. !!!!!!!!
Janet C. Said,
February 9, 2010 @ 10:44 am
The only rescue HSUS does is people’s cows, hogs, chickens and ducks and over 3,000 dogs last year….they call it confiscation for abuse. While no one agrees with abuse….the idea of animal rights abuse is different than those who subscribe to true animal welfare. Killing a cow or any animal for food is termed abuse. This is a vegan animal rights social movement and has nothing to do with animal welfare.
The recent entry into Haiti….all I have seen so far is three dogs. They are asking for money for a non existant problem. One person’s group packed up and came home because there was nothing to do there with the animals. Of course in a third world country people can not care for their animals as it seems they have a difficult time feeding themselves. Wonder how HSUS is going to worm their way out of the Haiti trip.
There are many companies tied to HSUS in order to “get” money. They are certainly a force to be reconded with for sure. Wayne just does not understand as in Ohio when the Ohians said, no thank you….He was like a bull in a China shop and forced his way in. Wonder what no thank you he does not understand….you would think they were a government agency when all the are is an animal rights vegan organization. You will see them exposed more in the weeks to come. I hope Yellow Tail is prepared for the implosion.
Joe Hidalgo Said,
February 9, 2010 @ 10:54 am
I have enjoyed Yellow Tail wines since they arrived in the U S , however that has come to an end. I don’t respect HSUS, and what the are trying to do to the Agriculture Industry, making you dependent on foreign countries for your food. For your information I grow cattle.
Dave Bennett Said,
February 10, 2010 @ 8:45 pm
Everyone knows how radical PETA is, but not everyone knows that HSUS and PETA have merged and are one in the same. HS is a great fund raising partner, they can get donations from mainstream folks thinking they are just helping pets in need. HS dominate position in the animal shelter effort gives them undeserved credibility. Some say more than 90% of their shelter animals are put down. It is really odd that PETA would like to end pet ownership as well as animal agriculture, along with any and all human domestication or harvest of any and all animals. But through the support of animal lovers giving to HSUS they have made PETA the richest of all lobby groups in this country.