American Girl: A Protest Over Corporate Philanthropy (B)

Abstract

In November of 2005, just prior to the Christmas shopping season, the Pro-Life Action League and the American Family Association announced a boycott of the popular doll line American Girl®, citing outrage at American Girl’s® charitable support of Girls, Inc., which they accuse of supporting abortion and promoting lesbianism. The two special interest groups staged the boycott after failed attempts during the month preceding it to influence American Girl® to cut the “I CAN” promotion. The groups felt that the company would respond to the challenge of the campaign because they claimed to be representative of the primary consumer segments of the American Girl® dolls, with which they historically held shared family values. The boycott lasted through the Christmas season, and the “I CAN” promotion ended the day after Christmas, as scheduled.

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