12.16Marketing at Christmas; An Interview with Konya Weber
Christmas is a critical time for marketing, particularly in financially uncertain times. Among all the issues marketers face during the holiday season, we asked Konya Weber our marketing professor to name one that could really create headaches.
In the past few years, some corporations have attempted to be politically correct by eliminating the greeting of “Merry Christmas” with “Happy Holidays” to address other holidays such as Hanukah or Kwanzaa.
What was the outcome?
Wal-Mart received a backlash from some Christians who did not appreciate eliminating the Christian focus of the holiday. They responded by boycotting its stores. Now, the stores have returned to greeting its customers with a “Merry Christmas” and learned from the reaction of its loyal customers.
What questions does this raise for marketers?
If we are attempting to be politically correct, will avoiding any association with one religion help or hurt this effort?
So what is the answer?
A Muslim leader recently slammed these politically correct individuals for being racist. “Why do they blame us?” he commented. “They portray us as people who hate their religion, we do not. We find it highly offensive that you are portraying us in a way that incites hatred towards us.” Rather than avoid the differences, we should embrace and provide opportunity for us to learn of other religious celebration.