Well, this is heartening news. From Family Research Council's Washington Update:
Most Americans know Proctor and Gamble as the name brand behind some of their
favorite household products--things like shampoo, dish soap, and laundry detergent. After years of helping to tidy up homes, P&G is ready to clean up television as part of a blockbuster partnership with Walmart. Together, the companies have kicked off a new campaign to produce TV programs that are profanity-free and morality-filled. Launched last week, the collaboration between two of the United States' corporate powerhouses is part of a broader effort to give parents a refuge from the around-the-clock filth on American networks.
Both Walmart and P&G have invested millions of dollars into this exciting venture with the goal of giving families more entertainment options--a mission that 77% of moms and dads overwhelmingly support. Leading up to the launch, P&G and
Walmart did plenty of market research to see how adults felt about the current state of television. Based on their research, this is the kind of partnership that American viewers not only need--but want. Only 23% of those surveyed said they were satisfied with the networks' current fare. Another 85% said they would go out of their way "to find and watch quality family-friendly programming."
Fortunately, they won't have to go far. On April 16, NBC is premiering the first installment of the team's made-for-TV movie series, "Secrets of the Mountain." In an era when most of Hollywood's heavyweights are trying to out-sleaze the competition, a partnership of this magnitude could be exactly the kind of peer pressure this industry needs to nudge it toward more wholesome programming. "I like to think of it as 'no lunge TV,'" said Marc Pritchard, an executive with P&G, "meaning that I don't have to lunge for my remote." Walmart echoed the sentiment in its statement and announced that this joint movement is part of a broader "Family Moments" campaign by the chain. It seems to be heeding the call of consumers to pull back from politics and try to engage the culture with traditional values.
According to surveys, it's a goal that's not only positive--but profitable. A 2009 poll found that ads were less effective when they aired on shows with gratuitous sex, violence, and obscenity. As a result, both P&G and Walmart have promised to be more judicious about how they spend their advertising dollars. That includes putting a safe distance between their brands and some of primetime's most risqué programs. As someone who has met with the CEOs of both companies to discuss the concerns that many families had about past anti-family policies, I'm pleased to see how two of the country's businesses are setting the example for others by promoting what's good for the family. Our hats go off to P&G and Walmart for paving the way for other Fortune 500 companies to follow suit. Decency is making a comeback, and these two companies are leading the charge!