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Tag: endorsement

  • Joel Osteen Under Fire: Donald Trump is “A Good Man”

    Joel Osteen is causing controversy since a recent radio interview that took place six months ago, during which he allegedly came to the defense of GOP hopeful Donald Trump, has resurfaced.

    The pastor of the Houston-based Independent megachurch, Lakewood Church, Joel Osteen has a throng of followers at the church and around the world. He is frequently under fire for his “prosperity” preaching that doesn’t ring true with many Bible-based congregations.

    It was while promoting his book, The Power of I Am: Two Words That Will Change Your Life Today, that Joel Osteen spoke with Kilmead & Friends via Fox Radio, when the topic turned to Donald Trump.

    During the conversation, Joel Osteen called Donald Trump a “good man.”

    Now Osteen is under fire for allegedly endorsing Trump, and that couldn’t be farther from the truth.

    Lakewood Church has issued a statement regarding the situation, on behalf of Joel Osteen.

    “Contrary to the misinformation making the rounds on social media, Pastor Joel Osteen has not endorsed any candidate for President of the United States.”

    Joel Osteen is the victim of something that often happens when push comes to shove in an election year. Candidates are seeking high-profile endorsements at this stage of the game. Osteen commented in an interview months ago that Donald Trump is a “good person,” and someone has taken that statement–out of context–and made it into something it isn’t.

    Joel Osteen isn’t the first person this has happened to, and he certainly won’t be the last. However for now, he hasn’t endorsed Donald Trump–or anyone else.

  • Bobby Jindal Loses ‘Duck Dynasty’ Star’s Endorsement To Donald Trump? Governor Says No

    It looks like Duck Dynasty star Willie Robertson has switched camps after he appeared at the Donald Trump rally over the weekend. However, Bobby Jindal and his team deny that Robertson has ditched them for The Donald.

    Robertson and his wife, who star in the Louisiana-based reality show about a family business that manufactures duck hunting goods, made an official announcement back in April that they are supporting their governor in the upcoming Presidential race. Jindal has also stated that he is a fan of the show.

    He even appeared on the popular reality show saying: “Duck Dynasty is one of my favorite shows. My kids wait anxiously for each new episode and watch DVR’d episodes over and over again.” “I was proud to be on the show and even more proud to call the Robertsons my friends,” he added. However, during a Trump rally, the reality TV star announced that he likes Trump now. “I do like me some Trump, I’ve gotta admit.” said Robertson at the Oklahoma State Fair.

    “Here’s the deal. We’re both successful businessmen. We both have pretty big shows on television. We both have wives that are 1,000 times better-looking than us so I like Trump,” admitted Robertson.

    The Louisiana Governor denied that Robertson had left them and claimed that the reality star is just being nice to the GOP front-runner.

    Jindal said Robertson may have said that he likes Trump but it did not mean that he was endorsing the Apprentice star for president.

    In an email written by Jindal’s campaign spokesman, Kyle Plotkin, he said that Jindal and Robertson had a chat over the weekend. He hinted that the reality star is still on their side although he admires Trump’s business expertise.

    Robertson has been a Jindal supporter since 2013 even before he expressed his desire to join the 2016 presidential race.

  • Ronda Rousey Signs First Apparel Endorsement

    UFC bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey has officially signed her first apparel endorsement deal.

    On Thursday, Buffalo David Bitton and Rousey announced their decision for Ronda to be the first and only woman to represent Buffalo Pro

    “It’s such an amazing opportunity to be able to represent Buffalo Pro,” Rousey said in a statement. “Not only am I the first female they’ve ever had representing the campaign, but it’s the first time any MMA fighter has done any type of fashion thing at all.”

    “I feel really honored to be taking the first steps into this industry,” she added. “I never had the confidence when I was younger to dress well, and avoided any type of fashion and femininity, and I’m enjoying the chance to embrace it at this point in my life.”

    Rousey has been waiting for the perfect opportunity before committing to an endorsement or sponsor in the apparel industry.

    “I purposefully have been holding out a long time on the apparel side of sponsorship. It was worth giving up lots of money that had been offered to me in order to pick exactly the right sponsor at the right time,” she explained.

    “Buffalo Pro was the perfect thing because they never had a woman, and there had never been any MMA athlete who had a sponsored fashion deal at all. So, I was excited to jump all over it,” Rousey continued. “I got so many cool clothes. I was looking around and said to my roommate the other day, ‘Jesus Christ, why haven’t I gotten a fashion sponsorship sooner?’”

    Rousey will be returning to the Octagon for UFC 184 on February 28 in Los Angeles, where she will be putting her belt on the line against fellow fighter Cat Zingano.

  • Ryan Braun To Endorse 3N2 Softball Cleats

    Ryan Braun To Endorse 3N2 Softball Cleats

    Ryan Braun, Milwaukee Brewers’ right fielder, has just signed an endorsement deal with 3N2, a manufacturer of baseball cleats. This is the first endorsement the player has agreed to, following his 65-game suspension for violating the anti-drug agreement of the MLB (Major League Baseball).

    Braun’s endorsement deal with Nike was cut short on August 2, due to the drug allegations. Marty Graham, president of 3N2, said that they would pay Braun a fraction of the cost that he got from Nike. The cleat-company had contacted the player’s representatives in hopes of striking a deal with Braun. They then sent a pair of cleats to Braun, and sources say that he has been using them while training throughout the spring season.

    Braun’s drug allegations did not seem to stop the 3N2 from getting him to endorse their products. Graham said that the company believes in Braun and that the country is about second chances.

    Reports from SportsOneSource indicate that 3N2 is just getting 0.2% market share in the $220 million baseball cleat market. It is behind leaders in the industry including Mizuno, Armour, Adidas, New Balance, and Nike. However, Graham said that since they are a smaller business, their progress is not well tracked and that their market share is closer to 2%.

    Braun is reported to have lost a whopping $3.3 million in salary because of his suspension. He was also dropped as an endorser for Milwaukee restaurants, AirTran Airways, and Kwik Trip. Graham said that if the player performs the way they think he would, his negative past will soon be forgotten. As of December, Braun’s appeal on consumers is likened to Dennis Rodman’s or Donald Trump’s.

    Aside from the 3N2 deal, Braun is also reported to be paid to wear the Natural II, a new batting glove from Franklin Sports.

    Ryan Braun Lied About Doping

    Image via YouTube

  • Scarlett Johansson Addresses Criticism

    Scarlett Johansson has received extensive criticism for her new ad campaign for SodaStream International Ltd., an Israeli company that currently operates in the West Bank.

    “SodaStream’s vision is to create a world free from bottles,” SodaStream’s website reads. “At SodaStream, we believe it is time to rethink how you make your soda and to understand the positive environmental impact when making soda at home. We are committed to continuously improving as an earth friendly brand and offering eco-friendly products that have a positive impact on our environment. Since January 2009, we have saved the world from over 1 billion plastic bottles.”

    The 29-year-old actress was recently signed as the soda company’s first global brand ambassador and she has already been scheduled to appear in a commercial during the Super Bowl on Sunday, February 2.

    Oxfam International started criticizing Johansson, earlier this week, and released a statement on their website concerning Johansson’s continuation with the company.

    Oxfam respects the independence of our ambassadors. However Oxfam believes that businesses that operate in settlements further the ongoing poverty and denial of rights of the Palestinian communities that we work to support. Oxfam is opposed to all trade from Israeli settlements, which are illegal under international law.

    We have been engaged in dialogue with Scarlett Johansson and she has now expressed her position in a statement, including stressing her pride in her past work with Oxfam. Oxfam is now considering the implications of her new statement and what it means for Ms. Johansson’s role as an Oxfam global ambassador.

    Johansson later addressed the criticism of Oxfam International, who she has been a global ambassador for since 2005, in a statement of her own.

    While I never intended on being the face of any social or political movement, distinction, separation or stance as part of my affiliation with SodaStream, given the amount of noise surrounding that decision, I’d like to clear the air.

    I remain a supporter of economic cooperation and social interaction between a democratic Israel and Palestine. SodaStream is a company that is not only committed to the environment but to building a bridge to peace between Israel and Palestine, supporting neighbors working alongside each other, receiving equal pay, equal benefits and equal rights. That is what is happening in their Ma’ale Adumim factory every working day. As part of my efforts as an Ambassador for Oxfam, I have witnessed first-hand that progress is made when communities join together and work alongside one another and feel proud of the outcome of that work in the quality of their product and work environment, in the pay they bring home to their families and in the benefits they equally receive.

    I believe in conscious consumerism and transparency and I trust that the consumer will make their own educated choice that is right for them. I stand behind the SodaStream product and am proud of the work that I have accomplished at Oxfam as an Ambassador for over 8 years. Even though it is a side effect of representing SodaStream, I am happy that light is being shed on this issue in hopes that a greater number of voices will contribute to the conversation of a peaceful two state solution in the near future.

    SodaStream currently has 25 production facilities, including the one in West bank. The company claims that they employ over 500 Palestinians, and provide them equal pay and benefits as their Israeli workers. Johansson remains firm in saying that she will continue to work with both SodaStream and Oxfam International.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Hillary Clinton Flattered by Endorsement

    Hillary Clinton has not made a decision on whether she will run for president in 2016, however she already has people backing her if she chooses to.

    Sen. Chuck Schumer, the third-ranking Democrat in the Senate, endorsed Clinton during a speech Saturday night at an Iowa Democratic Party dinner. “Hillary’s experience is unrivaled and her vision is unparalleled,” Schumer said. “It’s time for a woman to be president,” he added. “And so tonight, here in Iowa, and I won’t get this opportunity again, I am urging Hillary Clinton to run for president and, when she does, she will have my full and unwavering support.” He continued saying, “With Clinton, Schumer said, the party can “vanquish the Ted Cruz, tea party Republicans in 2016.”

    In response to Schumer’s endorsement, Clinton’s office released a statement saying, “Senator Schumer is an old colleague and an even older friend, and what he said about her is very flattering. Ultimately though this is a very personal decision that she hasn’t made.”

    http://youtu.be/cXJI69M4bo0

    Iowa state Sen. Liz Mathis says Schumer’s endorsement excited her. “It paves a way into her election,” said Mathis. “Primarily women in the party have come out in support of her, so it’s very good to see male leaders in the party, too. It’s important that everyone in the Democratic Party come out.”

    Recent polls show that Clinton could be the top contender for the Democratic party if she decided to run. However, Clinton is in no hurry to finalize a decision. “I’m not in any hurry. I think it’s a serious decision, not to be made lightly, but it’s also not one that has to be made soon,” Clinton told New York magazine.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Ryan Braun Loses Convenience Store Endorsement Deal

    As reported yesterday here on WPN, former major league MVP Ryan Braun was recently slapped with a 65-game suspension for violating the league’s drug policy. While it has not been explicitly revealed just what Braun did to go against the policy, that is not stopping companies from pulling out of their endorsement deals.

    Until recently Braun was the face of Kwik Trip, a company that operates over 400 stores in the tri-state area of Iowa, Minnesota, and his team’s home state of Wisconsin. Braun had been the company’s spokesman for four years, but the suspension proved to be too much to allow him to remain the face of the business.

    All commercials and other advertisements bearing Braun’s face have been removed and the company has also announced the cancellation of a contest that would have allowed a winner to have lunch with Braun at a Wisconsin area restaurant.

    Other companies that have deals with Braun, including restaurant groups and sports giant Nike, are currently evaluating their options before they announce whether or not they plan to stick with the besieged slugger.

    Braun losing endorsements is nothing new. In the recent past Tiger Woods and Lance Armstrong experienced similar obstacles in the face of controversy. Unfortunately for Braun, his tale leans more toward Armstrong, whose reputation will likely never recover since his deeds directly involved the sport he excelled in and, at least to some, invalidated his position as sports idol.

    The one silver lining for Braun is that Canadian company SAM BAT says that it will continue to produce and sell his signature RB8 bat. Company president Arlene Anderson went on record saying “We’ve had a good relationship with Ryan and we don’t anticipate that changing at this point.”

    However, it is likely that SAM BAT will prove to be the exception as more details about Braun’s suspension come to light.

  • Paula Deen Loses Smithfield Endorsement

    Paula Deen has lost her endorsement deal with Smithfield Foods, well-known makers of Smithfield Hams.

    The trouble started when Deen was named a defendant in a lawsuit brought by Lisa Jackson, a former employee who alleged that employment at Deen’s restaurant was tainted by both sexual and racial improprieties. In a deposition in that matter, Deen admitted using the “N word” in the past, specifically in reference to a burglar she’ d encountered in 1986. Jackson claims that Deen and her brother Bubba had both used the term in her presence.

    These revelations have sent Deen’s career into a tailspin. On Friday, the Food Network announced it would not renew Deen’s contract at the end of the month. In a damage control effort, Deen hastily posted three apology videos to YouTube (including one that was quickly taken down and one that was a direct apology to Matt Lauer for missing a scheduled interview).

    Now Smithfield, which has sponsored Deen since 2006, is cutting ties. “Smithfield condemns the use of offensive and discriminatory language and behavior of any kind,” said Keira Lombardo, company vice-president. “Smithfield is determined to be an ethical food industry leader and it is important that our values and those of our spokespeople are properly aligned.”

    Despite Deen’s spectacular fall, it’s a bit surprising that sponsors are so quick to back off, given that Deen’s legions of fans have gone for Food Network’s throat ever since the firing. After Food Network made the announcement, fans took to the network’s Facebook page to express outrage. A recent Food Network Facebook share about zucchini casserole elicited almost exclusively vitriolic commentary about the decision to drop Deen—and very little about zucchinis.

    Since Smithfield doesn’t make a canned ham, I couldn’t sneak in a stupid canned-by-the-canned-ham joke. So, instead, I’ll leave you with the knowledge that Deen eats balls of pure butter—and also gives them to her grandson.

  • Aaron Hernandez Loses Endorsement Amid Murder Probe

    No news has been good news for Aaron Hernandez over the past 24 hours. Despite days of “arrest warrant forthcoming”-type headlines, the former Florida Gator and current New England Patriots tight end remains a free man.

    But the ongoing murder investigation that has swirled around Hernandez the past few days is starting to hit his bottom line.

    CytoSport, makers of Muscle Milk and other athletic nutrition supplements, has officially ended its relationship with Hernandez.

    Hernandez is currently being investigated in connection with the murder of Odin Lloyd, 27, who was found shot dead about a mile from Hernandez’s home in North Attleboro, Mass. Lloyd, a semi-professional football player and friend of Hernandez’s, and the Patriot’s star had been out on the town together the evening of Lloyd’s death.

    Once he was identified as a person of interest in the murder investigation, Hernandez allegedly smashed his cell phone and home security system. He also brought a team of cleaners into his home before police could search the premises. Police have now visited Hernandez’s home multiple times.

    Hernandez was one of several players cited in a 2012 Sporting News article about rampant behavioral problems during former University of Florida head coach Urban Meyer’s tenure. Prior to the 2010 NFL Draft, Hernandez’s admission that he’d failed multiple drug tests while at Florida damaged his draft stock.