Schwab Incident a "Misunderstanding"

In the April 21, 1997 issue of Dynamic Chiropractic, Dr. Imogene Protz alerted the chiropractic profession to apparent discrimination by the Charles Schwab & Co. stock brokerage company. According to her letter, a representative of Charles Schwab told Dr. Protz that they modified their television commercial to eliminate chiropractic because "someone" had been offended by our inclusion in the commercial. She was told that "e.chiropractor" was deleted while "e.lawyer" was apparently left in. Dr. Protz encouraged DCs to contact the Schwab company to protest the apparent discrimination.

Registered investment advisor Carl F. Petersen MIM (no relation to the editor) responded in the May 19, 1997 issue stating:

"In all our dealings with Charles Schwab & Co. we have never found any discrimination against the chiropractic profession. When I read the letter to the editor from Imogene Protz, DC, in the April 21, 1997 edition, (regarding Dr. Protz's complaint on the e.Schwab ads that "e.chiropractor" had been taken out), I immediately contacted Charles Schwab & Co. to research this situation. The vice president of marketing confirmed this is a misunderstanding and the commercial has not been changed.

"According to our research, we found no evidence of any discrimination against the chiropractic profession. We continue to have faith in Charles Schwab & Co.'s integrity and professional service they provide to my clients and myself."

But even after Mr. Petersen's comments, Schwab continued to receive calls from DCs around the country inquiring about the commercial.
To dispel any notion that the Schwab commercial had eliminated "e.chiropractor," Tom Taggart, director of corporate communications for Schwab sent us the following letter, along with a video tape recording of the television commercial confirming that "e.chiropractor" is there.

 

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7-9-97

Dear Editor:

I am writing in response to a letter to the editor in your April 21, 1997 issue, by Imogene Protz, DC, regarding a Charles Schwab commercial for e.Schwab. As a result of that letter, we have received many customer inquiries regarding an innocent miscommunication and I welcome the opportunity to correct it in your publication.

The e.Schwab television commercial that the writer of the letter saw is entitled, "Man Behind the E," and it includes now and has always included the reference to "e.chiropractor" as one of the professions featured in the opening. This commercial has never been revised and it continues to run intact as it always has (a copy of the commercial and a network aircheck letter is enclosed).

The misunderstanding occurred when Ms. Imogene Protz, DC, telephoned our company and one of our representatives inadvertently advised her that the commercial had been revised. This was clearly not the case. We regret and apologize for the error on the part of one of our representatives and for any confusion or frustration it may have created for the readers of your publication.

Sincerely,

Tom Taggart
Director, Corporate Communications
The Charles Schwab Corporation

 

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This incident brings out two points. First of all, companies like Charles Schwab value their relationship with the chiropractic profession. They include references to chiropractic in their television commercials for a reason. They take seriously these kinds of misunderstandings, and strive to keep a positive relationship with chiropractic.

Secondly, when chiropractors respond to a situation, it doesn't go unnoticed. In a phone conversation with Mr. Taggart, he noted the many phone calls and letters they had received from DCs and their supporters.

While the alleged discrimination was only a simple misunderstanding, it points out the vigilance of the profession, and the power of a mass response.