Pierre Cloete, M-Net's director of channels explained on M-Net's weekly current affairs magazine show Carte Blanche why the pay-TV broadcaster very quickly pulled the commercial advertising campaign "28 Days of Oscar" with Oscar Pistorius after he shot and killed his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp.
In contrast, SABC1 and Samantha Moon, the executive producer of Tropika Island of Treasure 5: Jamaica kept the commercial advertiser-funded production (AFP) on the air on the public broadcaster as scheduled which now shows the dead Reeva Steenkamp as one of the contestants.
"We were also shocked like the rest of South Africa, but we needed to show some respect, firstly for the families, but also its a very sensitive situation that we've found ourselves in," Pierre Cloete said to Carte Blanche. "The campaign that we launched was quite humorous, it was lighthearted."
He was asked whether there was any consideration to keep the campaign going. "Definitely not. It was the best decision in our opinion to pull the campaign as soon as possible," said Pierre Cloete.
"Research typically suggest they've [sponsors and advertisers] typically got 10 days. As shareholders look at consumer response to sponsorship relationships, those typically play out after 5 to 6 days," Michael Goldman, a senior lecturer at GIBS told Carte Blanche.
When Tiger Woods fell from grace it took some sponsors a few weeks to react.
"Brands that were associated with Tiger Woods that did not withdraw immediately, within 10 days lost $12 billion of their share value in the first 10 days that they continued to be associated with the athlete," said Michael Goldman.
