Media Matters’ DropFox ad in Adweek: “Warning: if you sponsor Fox News your brand is in danger”

A new full-page ad in the upfronts edition of Adweek magazine warns media buyers and major advertisers that “if you sponsor Fox News your brand is in danger.”

The ad directs readers to DropFox.com, which features a new open letter to media buyers signed by a coalition of more than two dozen organizations urging them not to purchase advertisements on Fox News and warning that any ad spend on the network will fund the promotion of COVID-19 conspiracy theories, bigotry, and lies.

Many major brands have already taken a stand and pulled their ads from Fox News or dramatically scaled down their ad buys. The dangerous conspiracy theories have metastasized from prime time to across the entire network, including and especially during Fox’s so-called “straight news” shows. At this point, when brands choose to place ads on Fox News, it’s all but guaranteed that controversy will be coming their way.

While Fox News earns more from cable subscriber fees than it does from advertisers, the advertiser money only serves to add to the bottom line of a company fundamentally built around extremist lies, anti-vaccine misinformation, and dangerous conspiracy theories. Financially supporting Fox News’ dangerous misinformation, bigotry, and hate is guaranteed to damage the reputation of any brand aligned with the network.

Stop funding lies and hate; don’t buy ads on Fox News.

Dropfox ad May 2021

Citation Molly Butler / Media Matters