WalMart Backs Down

I have no idea how many attorneys Walmart has on staff but I am guessing it is more than enough.

Over the last few weeks the Walmart attorneys have been getting a run out, as black friday got close all sorts of sites got messages saying “Don’t post our black friday ads or you will be in for a spanking” (ok maybe I am paraphrasing just a bit).

The release date for Walmart Black Friday ads was set to be Monday 23rd November 2009 and woebetide anyone who posted anything about it before then. They were hoping to play the Internet game, being the last to announce their Day After Thanksgiving offers builds anticipation and when they do release it the whole world goes nuts for it.

All sounds sensible right..it is their ad and they want to control it and they are able (and willing) to throw their weight around to stop anyone they want. Enter CNN stage right..

Basically CNN decided they were going to release the 2009 Walmart ad and that is all there is to it. Most of us internet types are one man bands, we don’t have proper offices let alone attorneys. CNN don’t have that problem, they have huge offices full of attorneys and I think they may have actually benefited if Walmart had tried to go the court route.

So while it isn’t ok for me to post the Walmart Thanks giving ad it is just fine for CNN to do it.

I can’t decide what that means, but it means something and I don’t think it is the freedom of the Internet..

Walmart Day After Thanksgiving Ads 2009