The overt revulsion to the latest astonishing phone hacking allegations, and a concerted Twitter campaign pressing companies to consider their relationships with the News of the World, has left the paper facing potentially serious financial concerns.
Some have already suspended advertising with the newspaper:
- Ford, Vauxhall, Mitsubishi, the Co-op, Lloyds, Halifax, Sainsbury’s and Virgin Holidays
Others say they are “reviewing” their options or awaiting the outcomes of official investigations:
- P&G, Everything Everywhere, Tesco, Boots and NPower
The Royal British Legion has also dropped NotW as a campaign partner.
Elsewhere, Mumsnet has pulled a campaign promoting Sky to its users, “following increasingly vociferous calls from its influential community that it should not be associated with a Murdoch-owned organisation”, according to PR Week.
According to the BBC, NotW brought in £40m through advertising revenues in the past 12 months, and about £120m through sales.
An anonymous head of an advertising company told the Beeb he expected some of the companies that hadn’t made announcements to drop their advertising for this Sunday’s edition to disassociate themselves on the quiet.
The only company to announce it will not be changing its policy is Morrisons.
“I think there will be a roll of dishonour on Monday,” he said. “The chaps at the Guardian especially will say, ‘These are the advertisers who supported [the News of the World] yesterday’.”
If people start to vote with their wallets, advertisers are likely to look elsewhere anyway. But the BBC’s source only expects long-term damage if the revelations continue to mount.
He added: “The public is fickle. People forget and move on.”
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