SAN ANTONIO, Texas -- Truckers, trucker organizations and truckstop chains had a swift and strong reaction to an advertisement in the June issue of Maxim magazine.
The full-page ad, for San Antonio, Texas-based personal injury law firm Villarreal & Begum, shows the image of a truck cab, with the words "Serial Killer" above and "3,561 people died on America's highways last year. Another 2.36 million were injured. You need a law firm you can Trust. You need Experience. You need Strength. You need Villarreal & Begum. We're proven leaders in prosecuting cases involving death and catastrophic injury."
Truckstop and travel center networks Pilot Flying J and TravelCenters of America both removed the issue from their retail shelves upon learning about the ad.
In a statement provided to CSP Daily News, Knoxville, Tenn., Knoxville, Tenn.-based Pilot Flying J said, "Pilot Flying J is pulling all current copies of Maxim magazine from the shelves at its more than 650 travel centers and travel plazas across North America because of an ad that the company does not believe accurately depicts professional drivers. Pilot Flying J is proud to serve professional drivers and grateful for the important work that they do."
Tom Liutkus, spokesperson for Westlake, Ohio-based TravelCenters of America, which operates the TA and Petro travel center chains, told CSP Daily News that the issue has been "removed and destroyed."
He added, "The trucking industry rallied today and made for a quick end to this issue."
In a Facebook post, the Truckload Carriers Association said, "TCA is proud of the immediate action from truckstop retailers who pulled from their shelves the current issue of Maxim magazine, which features an ad depicting the #trucking industry as 'serial killers.' Click here to learn how you can get involved, and how to reach Maxim directly: http://ow.ly/xFsNC. Join the conversation on social media networks by using the hashtag #NotASerialKiller."
Another post read, "Gretchen Tibbits, vice president at Maxim, has heard the #trucking industry's concerns and is all ears. Regarding the ad, Maxim is extremely apologetic and embarrassed. To resolve the issue they will:
- Send an apology to the industry, today;
- Remove the ad from the digital version and will replace with pro-trucking industry ad;
- Provide a full-page ad space in the July/August issue.
Maxim is also looking to pull the rest of the June issues and do a reprint.
TCA appreciates all those who voiced their concerns today."
Maxim issued the following statement: "In the June 2014 issue of Maxim a legal firm ran an advertisement about truckers that was offensive. The ad in Maxim does not reflect the beliefs or opinions of the people at this magazine, which recently has begun operating under new ownership. New procedures are being implemented so that no such negative advertisements or editorial content will ever run in Maxim magazine. Maxim is aware of and appreciates the wide readership of truckers. Maxim is taking aggressive action to remove the aforesaid advertisement. To illustrate, the ad has been removed from its digital copy and is being replaced with facts about truckers and the trucking industry. Maxim will find many avenues to continue supporting the industry. A new day now flourishes at Maxim, and we will show steadfast support for the very industry that carries our magazine to newsstands and readers around the world."
Finally, Villarreal & Begum issued an apology to truck drivers over the ad: "Please be assured that it was never the intent of the Villarreal & Begum Law Firm to disparage the hard working Americans that drive tractor-trailers for a living. Our intent was to reach out to those individuals who have been involved in catastrophic accidents as a result of irresponsible drivers. The ad was in-artfully created, and we could see how it may have caused our message to be misconstrued. We recognize the service that truck drivers provide to this nation and acknowledge that most truck drivers are safe and responsible drivers. There are, however, few drivers that do not always live up to the standards promulgated by state and federal agencies and end up hurting innocent people who, in turn, deserve adequate representation. It is the victims of catastrophic trucking accidents that we intended to reach and not our intent to offend law abiding citizens that drive tractor-trailers for a living. We apologize that the wording of our ad has offended you and your family. In response to your and others' objections, we have instructed our marketing department not to use that ad in the future."
Click here to view an image of the ad posted by trucking-industry magazine Overdrive.
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