The New York Times ran an interesting article in the business section today about the protests regarding a donation by clothing company Abercrombie & Fitch to a Columbus, Ohio children's hospital. In gratitude for the gift, the hospital is naming the emergency department after the clothing company. Several advocacy groups are protesting linking a clothing company that uses highly sexually suggestive advertisements to market to teens and preteen and a place of healing. You can find the article here: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/12/business/media/12adco.html?ex=1363060800&en=21f3bf5041f6c111&ei=5124&partner=permalink&exprod=permalink.
This article leads to many interesting questions. Departments at hospitals and universities have been named after people for years. Why is a hospital department different? What about the naming of sports stadiums after corporations: how is this different? Would it be different if the company was an alcohol company or a tobacco company? Would it be better if the hospital just put up a large plaque in the department, thanking the company for the donation, rather than naming the department after the company? Hospitals always need money. Do hospitals need to think about the message they are sending by associating with certain companies, or should they just take the money and keep quiet?
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