“Fighting That Old Devil Rumor”

The article “Fighting That Old Devil Rumor” by Sandra Salmans, which was published on the Saturday Evening Post in October 1982, is about rumors and their effect. Specifically, the author takes us through how the consumer goods company, Procter and Gamble (P. & G.), was accused of and worked towards dispelling rumors that it was involved in devil worship. The basis of the rumors was that the mirror image of P. & G.’s 132-year-old trademark logo, which shows “the Man in the Moon” and 13 stars representing the original colonies, is a symbol of Satanism and Devil worship. In writing the article, the author wishes to reveal the effect of rumors, if any, to a person’s character or indeed an organization’s business. Procter and Gamble, in an effort to quell the rumors, resorted to using media campaigns, engaging the clergy, and eventually when all else did not work, suing the concerned parties. The submission that herein becomes apparent is that rumors can have a detrimental effect on an organization’s reputation resulting in loss of business.

Procter and Gamble’s problems began when claims surfaced that P. & G. was owned by Rev. Sun Myung Moon’s followers. P. & G. responded by writing to news organizations in the states where the rumors emanated from. Contrary to expectations that the rumors had been put to rest, they resurfaced, the focus this time shifting from Moon’s church to the Devil. Along with the claims, was that the “owner” of P. & G. had appeared on television where he claimed to have sold his soul to the devil. The rumor mongering urged a Christian boycott of all P. & G’s products. Indeed, some small fundamental churches warned their congregations to keep off Procter’s products. Proctor’s initial response was limited to having its consumer services department answer concerns of its customers. As this did not prove effective, they put out media advertisements offering information to dispel the rumors and engaged church ministers seeking their help in convincing the Christian public. When this failed as well, P. & G who were now of the opinion they had exhausted all non-public ways to end the matter sought a more formal resolution to it. Criminal proceedings were instituted against the offending parties, finally resulting in the rumors being put to rest.

The significance of this article arose from the reach that Procter and Gamble enjoyed. At the time, P. & G. made over 70 unique products, making it one of the biggest consumer goods maker in the world. Since P. & G. served a large number of consumers, this was a matter of great public interest and a lot of people were interested in learning the truth. If the rumors would have been proven to be true, then P. & G. would have lost a large percentage of its customers. Similarly, P. & G. was interested in addressing consumer concerns as these rumors had the potential for disrupting its revenue stream. The story was later carried in a number of periodicals including the New York Times, this being indicative of how far reaching the implications were and how much interest the general public had in the matter.

The author clearly outlines the problem, from its inception two years previously to its culmination when the matter was taken to court. She articulately presents the sequence of events that led up to this, pointing out all the steps taken along the way and the considerations that formed the basis of the steps. P. & G’s recourse in the matter is reflected in great detail. However, when talking about the genesis of the said rumors, she fails to give some pertinent information on the matter. She states that when the rumors emerged, they pointed to a relationship between the ownership of P. & G. and the Rev. Sun Myung Moon.  Why this would be a claim P. & G. would want to distance itself from is left open to speculation.

Similarly, on the answer that the consumer representatives at P. & G. give to the question on whether their logo is a satanic symbol, we are left guessing as well. The answer that P. & G. seem to prefer is that they have had the logo for over a hundred years. The readers have no way of telling how relevant it is that they have had the logo for a long time or how exactly it qualifies as a denial of the rumors; all we can do is infer. On the same note, the author does not provide information on why P. & G. have chosen to maintain the logo despite all the controversy surrounding it. Like the customer asks, ”If it causes controversy, I don’t see why they have to have it.”

While the author points out the reactions and statements of the propagators of the rumor after being taken to court, she does not seek the opinion of the Church of Satan on whether they are indeed supported by P. & G. Further, she makes no indication on the relation between P. & G. and the Rev. Sun Myung Moon’s Church. Rev. Sun Myung Moon was the head of the Unification Church, which has been the subject of controversy over its beliefs that differ from traditional Christian interpretations of the Bible. Members were referred to as “Moonies” hence the inference that the ‘Man in the Moon’ had some ties to the sect. The subsequent rumors about Satanism are steeped in biblical text, particularly Revelation 12:1, which reads “And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, the moon under her feet and upon her head a crown of 12 stars.” Simply pointing this out discredits the rumors as the ‘Man in the Moon’ logo has 13 stars and features a man.