"Dunkin’ Donuts cancels ads on WEEI" by Taryn Luna | Globe Correspondent, February 14, 2014
Dunkin’ Donuts Thursday confirmed it has canceled all its advertising on the sports radio station WEEI, and a station official admits the Canton chain was “upset” at a disparaging comment made by morning host Gerry Callahan, who was paid to endorse the company’s products.
WEEI wouldn’t say what wording Callahan used about three weeks ago on the Dennis & Callahan Morning Show. A spokesman for the station’s owner, Entercom Communications, said the incident involved an off-the-cuff remark about doughnuts that Dunkin’ did not find amusing.
Dunkin’ Donuts “heard the comments and took offense to it. You just don’t call somebody’s baby ‘ugly,’ even if it’s unintentional,” said Phil Zachary, vice president and market manager for Entercom in Boston.
Callahan could not be reached for comment.
However, Zachary said the longtime host acknowledged that he “screwed up badly” and apologized to executives at Dunkin’.
“I fully respect how they feel about it,” Zachary said. “Particularly because we do have a long relationship with them, they felt their trust had been breached.”
Dunkin said it ended the contracts for the Boston broadcasts in early January — before Callahan made his comments. Dunkin’ confirmed it then decided to cancel the remaining advertising on the sister stations after Callahan’s outburst....
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