I remember when this controversy was going on. I thought it was pretty silly how it caused an internet war. The CEO got lucky that, with his statements, the situation wasn't a complete disaster. If it wasn't for Mike Huckabee, there probably wouldn't have been a Chic-Fil-A appreciation day, and instead a long boycott by protesters.
Whether you agree with gay marriage or not, it is not relevant. He is running a business to serve food, not changing public policy. Some may say that corporations have a social responsibility to shape public policy and be a voice in the public forum, but gay marriage isn't an area that businesses should be diving into.
His remarks basically say, "Here at Chic-Fil-A we discriminate against the gay community." How is that a good marketing message than saying nothing?
If I was advising Mr. Dan Cathy, I would suggest keeping personal beliefs to myself and focusing my interviews on the business side of things. His interviews should promote the companies benefits for communities and employees. There are times to talk about public matters, but that was not one of them. For example, if it was 2001 and they asked Mr. Cathy how 9/11 affected him, he could give an honest response.
Dan Cathy may have thought the target market for the magazine would like to hear that particular response, but those words carried over to everybody. I think a lot of CEO's or spokespersons want to give the best interview possible, so sometimes they are loose with their tongues.
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