Thread: I Think We Did It! Our Voices Have Been Heard!, Miller Deni

http://www.saveourstate.org/forums/inde ... opic=15867

Just heard on Fox News, a local spokesman for Miller denies that they're supporting the march & wants the Miller name removed from all related material!

This after an explosion of outrage at the company

I think we did it!!!!!!!

That's great news JAK. Can you go to the broadcast website and look for an article? Sometimes they have one in print or a video. Was it the network or your local station reporting?

Dixie

Just tried to call Miller's 414-931-2000 number. Hit '0' &
it said the mailbox was full!!!!

We need solid confirmation of this. Can anyone locate an article confirming this?

Latest Google News shows no retraction of support as of 3pm EST SAT.

http://news.google.com/news?hl=en&ned=u ... earch+News

Miller denies financing march

Brewer supports reform, not illegal immigration, it says

By RICK ROMELL

rromell@journalsentinel.com
Posted: Sept. 1, 2006

Miller Brewing Co. on Friday denied providing financial help for a planned march in Chicago supporting illegal immigrants, but a newspaper report of the firm's involvement in a controversial political issue could create marketing headaches for the Milwaukee brewer.

The Chicago Tribune reported that Miller had paid more than $30,000 for "a planning convention, materials and newspaper ads" connected to this weekend's "Immigrant Workers Justice Walk."

Not so, Miller spokesman Peter J. Marino said.

"The money supported a recent convention on immigration issues in Chicago, which provided attendees with information on how to become legally naturalized citizens of the U.S.," he said.

Miller isn't sponsoring the march and didn't authorize use of its trademarks in association with the event, Marino said. The Tribune reported that advertisements for the march bear Miller's logo.

The 40-mile walk is to go from Chicago's Chinatown neighborhood to the Batavia, Ill. office of House Speaker Dennis Hastert.

"We are asking him to pay attention to the contributions of undocumented immigrants, and to pass immigration reform that allows for legalization for all; family reunification and civil liberties protection," says the Web site of the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights, one of the groups organizing the march.

Marino said Miller supports reform of immigration law, but not illegal immigration.

Corporations typically seek to avoid political controversies, but Miller may be forced to dance along a fine line on Latino immigration.

With their numbers in the U.S. growing rapidly and a relatively young population, Latinos are a prime target for brewers. In October 2004, Miller said it planned to spend $100 million over three years on marketing via Spanish-language media, a major increase for the company.

Latinos are "extremely" important to Miller, said Benj Steinman, publisher of Beer Marketer's Insights.

And Miller recently had to deal with a boycott threat from an umbrella group of Midwestern Latino community organizations upset that Miller's political action committee had made $2,000 in campaign contributions to U.S. Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner (R-Wis.), sponsor of an immigration bill the group viewed as too harsh.

The boycott was quickly canceled after the two sides met in Chicago, and Miller agreed to run newspaper ads against the bill and help the group fight it.

Steinman said getting involved in the immigration question was chancy, and pointed to criticism of Miller already appearing Friday on Internet blogs.

"It's just such a controversial issue that when a corporation takes a side, you risk alienating the other side," Steinman said.

But Todd Brachman, an adjunct professor in the business school at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, said Miller wouldn't run a big risk by supporting Latinos on immigration.

With a youthful demographic profile, Latinos, broadly speaking, represent a strong market for brewers, while the opponents on the immigration question mainly are older people "who don't drink as much beer anyway," said Brachman, who worked in marketing at Miller until 1996.

"I seriously doubt that Miller is supporting illegal immigration," Brachman said.

As Miller denied involvement in the Chicago march, meanwhile, the leader of a Milwaukee immigrant-rights group that has held two large marches here said Miller had helped that organization financially.

Marino denied that too.

Christine Neumann-Ortiz, executive director of Voces de la Frontera, said Miller contacted the group earlier this year and offered a donation before a May 1 march. She said the company provided what she believed was a couple hundred dollars used for buses to bring marchers from Racine and Kenosha.

Marino said Miller "did not support the May 1 march or participate in the May 1 march in any way."

http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=490296

Because they're flip-flopping their position back and forth still means think twice before buying their beers. Just as soon as somebody from Communist La Raza calls 'em, they'll be back to groveling to the illegals again.

They'll be calling the Trilateral Commission asking what to do.

With all this "waffling," the Miller CEO should be nominated for the Weekly Weasel Award.
http://www.itpaa.org/modules.php?name=C ... age&pid=11

The Chicago Tribune reported that Miller had paid more than $30,000 for "a planning convention, materials and newspaper ads" connected to this weekend's "Immigrant Workers Justice Walk."

Not so, Miller spokesman Peter J. Marino said.

"The money supported a recent convention on immigration issues in Chicago, which provided attendees with information on how to become legally naturalized citizens of the U.S.," he said.

They admit giving the illegals $30,000. Who cares what it's used for?

Their position doesn't sound strong enough to me...I still wouldn't buy their product.
I'm sorry ...I found that post on saveourstate.org and thougth I would pass it on. But...I'm tired of companies pandering for the almighty dollar.
Sometimes even these companies need to stand up and take a stand.
I don't drink, but I know people that do and buy Miller. But hopefully they will be buying another brand...I know some of them are!

I don't believe this HS at all. This all came about somehow. I'll bet you in some capacity Miller supports LaRaza or some other benign(yeah, right) hispanic organization. Some of those funds or in-kind donation then are allocated to this event. They may not have given "directly" to the march but doesn't matter unless we think they are stupid?

Well, like our so called president says...if you are not with us you are against us...period!

Draw a line in the sand and take a side. If you help them in any way ...you are against Americans...period!