A swelling number of advertisers — many of whom paid big bucks to sponsor 2012’s GOP national convention — are opting out of this year’s bash.
Among those signaling they won’t be taking part this year are Wells Fargo, UPS, Motorola, JPMorgan Chase, Ford and Walgreens, according to a report by Bloomberg.
TheWrap contacted all seven companies. The only one who responded to our request for comment was Wells Fargo, who told us, “This decision was reached well before either party nominee was decided.”
The spokesperson said the only reason the financial giant donated to the Democratic Host Committee for the Philadelphia Convention was to support “the event which is actually at the Wells Fargo Center,” referring to the sports stadium that they sponsor where the Philadelphia Flyers and 76ers play, which will host the DNC next month. “We do not contribute to either party committee,” they added.
The other companies have, for now, decided to stay mum on why they’ve decided to pull out of what will probably be a ratings bonanza.
Big-time corporations usually try to stay away from politics, as to not offend any potential paying customers. But party conventions are the exception to that rule, as it offers companies a two-for-one: promoting their brands and schmoozing with politicians.
We can’t say for sure why these companies are running away from this convention as if their tail was on fire … but it’s safe to say that Trump is a good possibility.
They wouldn’t be the only ones skipping the big GOP bash. Mitt Romney, the belle of the 2012 ball, Poppy Bush and George W. Bush have all said they are unable to attend.
A Trump spokeswoman did not immediately respond to TheWrap’s request for comment.