Forbidden four - Procter and Gamble Co.'s advertising policy

Folio: The Magazine for Magazine Management, Oct 15, 1993

Most of us are familiar with comedian George Carlin's classic "Seven words you can't you say on television." Apparently, publishing has its own short list of verboten lingo, at least as far as Procter & Gamble is concerned. Former Ms. editor Robin Morgan cited that list--lesbianism, witchcraft, abortion, and gun control--at a recent panel discussion on ad-free magazines. She told participants at the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication-sponsored discussion that P&G "has circulated an infamous and quite blatant memo" in which the company must be warned when any of the offending words appear.

In relating the differences between ad-free and conventional magazines, Morgan described how during the Gulf War, a Sassy editor came into her office "weeping--literally--with envy" because she had wanted to run a page covered entirely with the word "peace," and "Procter & Gamble told her no." How did the advertiser know about the idea? Explained Morgan: There is a "resident censor" who sits in the ad department at Sassy.

Sassy publisher Linda Cohen acknowledges that the magazine does have guidelines from P&G--its largest advertiser--which she says she finds helpful. "They're protecting their name, not infringing on us. I prefer it. If I have these four |words~, I know what will set them off." Regarding "the peace thing," Cohen says the word ran, a letter at a time, on the back page for five issues. "We cover lots of things, and we haven't called anyone at P&G in over three years."