NEW YORK The Parents Television Council has labeled Procter & Gamble the best advertiser on TV and Toyota the worst as part of its annual report ranking advertisers based on how frequently they sponsor family-oriented shows vs. shows containing violent, profane or sexually explicit material.
The list is based on advertisers' broadcast network prime-time ad buys between October 2006 and May 2007.
Following P&G on the "best" list, in order, are Walt Disney, Ford, Unilever, Viacom, McDonald's, Johnson & Johnson, Schering-Plough, Coca-Cola and General Mills.
Appearing on the "worst" list. following Toyota, are General Motors, Limited Brands, Payless Shoe Source, Vonage, Volkswagen, Allied Domecq Quick-Service Restaurants (Dunkin' Donuts), Reckitt Benckiser (Clearasil and assorted packaged goods products), Geico and Bayer.
"Television sponsors contribute to the television culture, either in a positive or negative way, by what programs they choose to support with their ad dollars," said Tim Winter, PTC president. "We applaud those on our best list because they are contributing to the well-being of millions of families by choosing to be responsible sponsors. We've seen this recently demonstrated by Disney and Hallmark Channel in choosing to ban smoking in their films, and by McDonald's decision to remove a rapper who consistently uses derogatory language in his act from its concert tour."
Winter said those advertisers on the PTC worst list have sponsored "some of the most heinous content on broadcast television, including shows that depict sadistic torture and drug use, discuss themes of bestiality, oral sex and other sexually graphic dialogue, describe horrific crimes against children and use foul language."
PTC issues its list every year, and has called on TV viewers and "all concerned parents to consider whether their dollars will go toward a company that supports wholesome family entertainment or toward a company that helps underwrite sexually graphic and violent programs in prime time."