Subject: Largest Tanqueray retailer in DC asks $$$$????
From: [email-masked]
Date: Wed, 18 Jun 1997 16:30:07 -0400 (EDT)

the following letter was written by the owner of DC's largest Gay and Lesbian
bar to the distributors of Tanqueray in response to questions he had about
the AIDS ride.  Tanqueray was so concerned that they sent their head of
public relations from NY to DC to speak with him that night.

The Circle
C. Dean Horvath, Owner
June 16, 1997
VIA FACSIMILE & US MAIL

Ms. Peggy Bernstein
Director of Public Relations
Schieffelin & Somerset Co.
Two Park Avenue
New York, NY  10016

Re:  AIDS Rides sponsored by Tanqueray

Dear Ms. Bernstein:

This letter is in response to yours dated April 24, 1997.  I apologize for
the delay in responding to you but, as I's sure you are aware, this is our
busiest season and other projects have necessarily taken priority.

First. let me say that I consider Tanqueray Gin a fine product.  We are the
largest Gay and Lesbian bar in the District of Columbia and feathure it daily
in our premium happy hour.  In fact, we boast the largest point of sales of
that product in the metropolitan area.  Our Hennessy sales are also second
highest in the area.  And we certainly have no problem with the manner in
which Foreman Brothers services the account locally.

I do, however, have serious concerns about the DC AIDS Ride sponsored by
Tanqueray.  I believe it is admirable that Schieffelin & Somerset has
recognized the importance of the issue and has been willing to put money
behind it, but the issues around the finances of these events (as reported in
the Washington Post, US News & World Report, the Wall Street Journal and
other reputable publications) have cause us to take a second look at the
entire project.

The amount of money you allocate to overhead from the Rides is a major
problem for me.  No matter how you spin it, 48% overhead for a non-profit
event is unacceptable.  That means that if I as an individual rider raise
$1,500, approximatly $720 goes to paying overhead costs.  That simply will
not do.

If I donate $1,000 to an AIDS charity, I expect $1,000 to go to serving
people living with AIDS or, alternatively to AIDS research.  If I know that
almost half of it will go to overhead, I generally choose another charity.
 In fact, when my customers approach me about sponsoring then for the AIDS
Ride, I always encourage then to raise the money but I always feel compelled
to suggest that they donate it ti an AIDS charity of their choice that will
actually benefit the HIV-affected community in greater measure.

For the record,  I have been contacted by a number of activist groups
including ACT UP Washington, requesting that I support a boycott of Tanqueray
and its family of products because of the issues raised here.  I have not yet
taken a public position on the issue,  but I must tell you that unless you
give me some concrete reasons why I shouldn't I am inclined to lend my name
to their efforts.

I, too, have public relations people on my staff and I completly understand
how to read between the lines in PR spin/damage control messages.  Reading
your letter, it seems to me that the complete truth is still not being told.
 In fact, the chairman of the Fiscal Oversight Committee of the Metropolitan
Washington HIV Health Services Planning Council has indicated  the projects
noted as beneficiaries of the Ride are alread fully-funded by the Ryan White
CARE Act.  So where does the ride money actually go?

I should also point out that the Gay and Lesbian media, while accepting your
advertising, seems to be remiss in investigating and reporting on this issue.
 I and others will call a press conference in Washington to address these
issues.  Please contact me at your earliest convenience regarding the
foregoing so that we may have the benefit of your input by that time.

Sincerely yours
C. Dean Horvath

cc
ACT UP Washington
The Washington Blade
The Washington Post
The Washington Times
Washington City Paper
The Raleigh News & Observer
The InnTowner
Metro Weekly

Schieffelin & Somerset responds...
Schieffelin& Somerset Co.
2 Park Avenue
New York, NY  10016
phone 212-251-8200
fax 212-251-8283
from Peggy Bernstein
FAX Transmission

Dear Dean:

Thank you for you fax.  I greatly appreciate you taking the time to discus
this matter and gather the facts before acting.

I have attached a number of messages that have been posted over the internet
over the past week or so regarding the US News and World Report feature and
other articles.  These messages are from Riders and other citizens - not PR
people - and include some of the facts about the AIDS Rides that were
unfortunatly left out of much of the recent press coverage.

I hope that you will take the time to read them and consider their message -
that cost of fundraising is only one part of a very complex formula and
cannot be the sole measure by which an event is judged.

i further hope that you will consider speaking to the beneficiaries and the
Ride producers to answer any more questions that you might have.

I am on my way to DC this afternoon and will call you when I get in to
discuss.

Thanks agains for your consideration.

NOTE from Steve Michael
It is interesting to note that the owner of the Circle Bar asked financial
questions about the ride.  Bernstein did not respond to those
questions---instead saying that "fundraising is only one part of a vary
complex formula."  It is impossible to get answers to money questions from
the ride or Tanqueray.  

I met with Peggy Bernstein briefly at the Circle the evening she jumped on a
plane to deal with their largest retailer.  She backtracked from our phone
conversation.  Bernstein is not willing to release any financial figures.
 But I did learn a lot from here assistants.  More in the next e-mail.  I and
others  also doing research into Tanqueray's and Pallotta's involvement in
the "Landmark" educational forum.