Stephen Pidgeon gets censored 2

Fundraising | Celina Ribeiro | 17 Mar 2010

It has been quite a week for controversial viral videos.

First the pop doyennes Lady Gaga and Beyonce get everyone from feminists to misogynists hot under the collar with the release of a racy, and some say retrograde, film clip featuring lesbian kisses and navel-level necklines.

But while the writhing musicians may have got all the mainstream press (even from broadsheet papers justifying their use of relatively graphic images by wheeling in their rent-a-feminists), the sector played host to its own YouTube ‘no they didn’t’ moment.

A fully-clothed Stephen Pidgeon managed to spark his own cultural row with a minute-long video promoting the Institute of Fundraising’s upcoming direct marketing conference.

The film, which appeared on the Institute’s events website last week, originally showed Pidgeon, chair of its Standards Committee and of direct marketing company Tangible Response, cheekily telling prospective attendees to “forget face-to-face”, because direct mail is where charities will be making their money.

However, by Monday morning this week the clip had been edited to remove the tongue-in-cheek final statement.

Civil Society understands that the changes to the video were made on Friday following complaints from certain areas of the fundraising sector about Pidgeon’s conflict of interest and unnecessary degradation of face-to-face fundraising.

When asked about the edit on Monday by Civil Society, Pidgeon laughed and claimed he knew nothing about it. However, when pressed as to why the video might have been altered, he simply replied: "Political correctness, probably."

Directory: Institute of Fundraising | Tangible Response
Who's Who: Stephen Pidgeon

Place a comment

Rowena
Head of Fundraising and Development
The Fawcett Society
17 Mar 2010

I for one was taken aback to see a senior figure with high standing within the Institute of Fundraising make a public statement to 'forget face-to-face and other forms of fundraising' in my IoF e-bulletin last week.

Would it be acceptable for a grants fundraiser to say forget DM, ROI in grants fundraising is significantly higher in a public statement from the IoF?

I'm pleased to hear the IoF has edited the content.

[Reply]

Rarry Revan
Ranter
Rantingrules
17 Mar 2010

Move aside Gaga, I had the misfortune to witness Stephen flexing and grinding on the dancefloor to "Mambo No 5" at last years IoF awards. I have been showering twice a day ever since but still feel dirty!

Rarry

[Reply]

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