1. REPAIRING THE
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN
CHICK-FIL-A AND THE
GAY COMMUNITY

2. Purpose
 The purpose of this project is to repair the
relationship Chick-fil-A has with the gay
community. The focus is creating positive ties
with the gay community and creating a level of
understanding between the two groups.

3. A Brief History
• Founded by Truett Cathy
• Chick-fil-A was established in the early 1960s and
pioneered the idea of having restaurants in shopping
malls with the opening of a Chick-fil-A in a
suburban Atlanta mall
• Since then, the company has grown to be the second
largest quick-service restaurant in the U.S.
• The company is still privately held and family owned

4. Winshape Foundation
• Founded in 1984 by Truett and Jeannette Cathy
• Includes Winshape Homes, Winshape College
Program, Winshape Retreat, and many more
• Goal: To help “shape winners”

5. Core Values of Chick-fil-A
• Christian-based company
• Corporate purpose: “To glorify God by being a faithful
steward of all that is entrusted to us, and to have a
positive influence on all who come in contact with
Chick-fil-A.”
• Committed to 3 core area:
1. A 65-year history of operating the business
according to Biblical principles
2. A 65-year history of providing genuine
hospitality for all people
3. A 65-year history of serving families and
communities without a political agenda

6. What’s the issue?
• Accused of being anti-gay
1. Sponsored an “Art of Marriage Conference”
2. Reportedly donated $2 million to groups with
anti-gay agendas
3. Provided lunch for a marriage-training event
sponsored by Pennsylvania Family Institute
• LGBT activists have had protests at several
Chick-fil-A locations
• Students from at least 6 different
universities have petitioned to not have
Chick-fil-A locations on campus.

7. What’s the issue?
• Gay rights groups have charged Chick-fil-A with
having an anti-gay agenda due to their donations to
certain pro-family groups that denounce gay
marriage
• Activists claim that the company’s ties with groups
like “Focus on the Family” and other organizations
trying to take rights from the homosexual
community are evidence of its “homophobic” habits

8. Research
• Gay rights is still a relevant issue
-Becoming more widely accepted in the United
States
-A Gallup poll in May of 2011 revealed that for
the first time a majority (53%) of people believe
same-sex marriage should be legal
-There is still strong opposition to gay rights
making it a relevant issue for all Americans

9. Research
 Similar case study—Target
-In 2010, Target had a run-in with LGBT after
Target donated $150,000 to Minnesota Forward, a
political action committee that supported Minnesota
Republican governor candidate Tom Emmer who
was an opponent of gay rights
-Target eventually apologized for the
contribution

10. Research
 Lessons learned from Target’s issue with the gay
community:
1) Examine your support of controversial issues and people from
all sides
2) A company’s relationship-building and outreach efforts to
diverse segments of the market do get noticed
3) A good reputation takes years to earn, but it can be damaged
in mere days or weeks
4) Put your money where your mouth is
5) Loyalty cuts both ways

11. Key Publics
Chick-fil-A’s customers
Chick-fil-A employees
Gay community/gay rights groups

12. Goals and Objectives
 Goal 1: Make Chick-fil-A’s stance on the issue of gay
rights neutral while also keeping the core values of the
company intact
-Objective 1: Inform key publics of the
organizations supported by Chick-fil-A and exactly what
they stand for other than issues concerning gay rights
-Objective 2: Make the values of Chick-fil-A clear
- Objective 3: Make key publics aware of Chick-fil-
A’s other charitable contributions to the community
- Objective 4: Make public aware of what exactly
the Winshape Marriage Retreat is and what its values
are

13. Tactics
• Add a “Charities” tab on Chick-fil-A’s main website as well as
on their social media sites that have an overview of what the
groups they sponsor stand for and believe in
• Have families featured on social media sites and main
website that were helped by Chick-fil-A’s Winshape
Foundation
• Have each restaurant feature an employee who has
participated in Chick-fil-A’s Leadership Scholarship
Program once a month in each restaurant
• Include information on the Winshape Foundation on Chick-
fil-A’s Facebook page
 Have couples featured on the page speaking about
their positive experiences at the Winshape Retreat

14. Goals and Objectives
 Goal 2: Show there is no discrimination against the
gay community
Objective 4: Support gay Christian groups
Objective 5: Get involved with the “It Gets
Better” Project

15. Tactics
• Sponsor or advertise on the Gay Christian Network
radio station
• Provide food at local gay Christian support groups
• Organize an event co-sponsored by the “It Gets
Better” Project and provide free food along with
information on the project
• Have Dan Cathy, President of Chick-fil-A, record a
message for the “It Gets Better” Project website
• Press releases highlighting Chick-fil-A’s involvement
in the project

16. Current Chick-fil-A Website

17. Modified Chick-fil-A Website

19. Evaluation
Monitor viewers' comments on the donated It
Gets Better Project video.
Evaluate survey results that allow the approval
or disapproval of Chick-fil-A's proactive outreach
to the gay community.
Complete a content analysis of news media
covering the protesting gay community's attitude
towards Chick-fil-A.
- Compare the tones of news media from
start of the campaign to the end of the
campaign.

20. Resources
 Chick-fil-A. Web. 21 Nov. 2011. http://www.chick-fil-a.com/
 Chick-Fil-A Fast Food Chain Donated Nearly $2 Million To Anti-Gay
Groups In 2009."Breaking News and Opinion on The Huffington Post.
Web. 21 Nov. 2011. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/11/01/chick-fil-
a-donated-anti-gay-groups-2009_n_1069429.html
 Kayla Webley. "Controversial Chicken: Chick-fil-A’s Gay Rights Rumble |
NewsFeed | TIME.com." NewsFeed | Breaking News and Updates from
Time.com. News Pictures, Video, Twitter Trends. | TIME.com. Web. 21
Nov. 2011. <http://newsfeed.time.com/2011/01/31/controversial-chicken-
chick-fil-a-gay-rights-rumble/>
 Roth, Steve (2010, October 4). Key Issue in LGBT Community's Target
Boycott: Sense of Betrayal. Retrieved from
http://www.prsa.org/Search/anti%20gay%20marriage