Action Alert: Stop Bigots From Pressuring Advertisers For TLC’s ‘All-American Muslim’

December 10, 2011

MPAC today called upon all concerned citizen to make their voices heard and contact Lowe’s and three dozen other major advertisers to reconsider their apparent decision to pull their advertisements from the new TLC reality television show "All-American Muslim." Lowe’s decision to pull its advertising follows a smear campaign initiated by infamous Islamophobes Pamela Geller and Robert Spencer.

SEE: “Lowe's Pulls Ads from 'All-American Muslim' after 'Ordinary' Portrayal Protested” (Entertainment Weekly)

“We can not allow political extremist such as Robert Spencer and Pamela Geller, who influenced the Norway terrorist attacks and right wing xenophobia, to alter and censure us,” said Salam Al-Marayati, MPAC President. “You can agree or disagree with the show, but all Muslim Americans have the right for the show to go on.”

TLC has recently been targeted by the Florida Family Association for airing the series, which follows five Lebanese American families in Dearborn, MI, as they juggle family, marriage, work, faith, community and tradition.

Following the premiere of the show on Nov. 13, veteran Islamophobes Geller and Spencer, co-founders of “Stop the Islamization of America: A Practical Guide to the Resistance” called on advertisers to withdraw their advertisements, claiming based on their false and derogatory accusations, that the show "is an attempt to manipulate Americans into ignoring the threat of jihad." Their evidence? The show only follows law-abiding Muslim American families and doesn’t include terrorists and criminals.

They contacted 27 companies with this racist campaign, threatening to boycott them if they do not remove the ads. Their website boasts “25 out of 27 advertisers targeted in the Nov. 29th email alert did not advertise again during the Dec. 4th and 5th episodes. And, 65 companies that Florida Family Association targeted with emails did NOT advertise again during the only two episodes of ‘All-American Muslim’ that aired this past week.”

Currently, the only company that has publicly acknowledged and complied with the boycott is Lowe's, which issued the following statement:

"While we continue to advertise on various cable networks, including TLC, there are certain programs that do not meet Lowe’s advertising guidelines, including the show you brought to our attention. Lowe’s will no longer be advertising on that program."

“Lowe's should be ashamed for succumbing to this type of bigotry,” said Deana Nassar, MPAC Hollywood Liaison. “The show is an important effort to portray the everyday lives of a group of normal, mainstream Muslim Americans. Caving into the fear campaign initiated by thinly veiled hate groups sends the wrong message at the wrong time.”

The Muslim American population represents a niche consumer group that is largely untapped, proven to be loyal to brands, generally well-educated and best of all for marketers, it represents annual disposable income of at least $107 billion according to a new study by Dinar Standard.

ALSO SEE: "Marketing to American Muslims: The Largest Untapped Consumer Niche" (NOVA Advertising)