'Duck Dynasty' Christmas Album & Merchandise Sales Not Affected by Phil Robertson Anti-Gay Remarks, Details
Though Duck Dynasty is in the midst of controversy because of reality star Phil Robertson's recent anti-gay comments, his remarks have not negatively affected business for products related to the A&E show.
The family's Christmas album, Duck the Halls: A Robertson Family Christmas, remains on the list of "Top Albums" on iTunes at time of publication. Billboard reportedly said that the album, which has sold at least 575,000 copies, sold about 125,000 copies for the week ending Dec. 22. The album was No. 6 on the Billboard 200 chart.
The recent A&E publicity surrounded the series also has not deterred business for Duck Dynasty licensed candles and probably have boosted business, said Hans Wilz, who creates the candles. Since Robertson's publicized GQ interview, in which he compared homosexuality to bestiality, Wilz said his company, Great Ideas LLC, has opened six new accounts.
"The conversation has not been 'We are not buying anymore,' " Wilz said.
"These aren't just novelties. It's a lifestyle. We don't think that's going to go away. It's a redneck life," he told ABCNews.com. "People live it. I don't think if someone speaks their mind, it's going to change. It just created heightened awareness of the show."
Much of the Robertson family's wealth comes from their Duck Commander business, which sells hunting-related products and instructional guides. Walmart.com is still listing seven of their Duck Call products, and two of those Duck Calls are out of stock online.
Support for Duck Dynasty is so strong that one retailer at first decided to stop selling merchandise related to the show after Robertson's comments, but 24 hours later changed its mind.
Southern restaurant and country store chain Cracker Barrel released a statement on Saturday, Dec. 21, saying they stopped selling "selected products" that "might offend" some diners considering Robertson's anti-gay statements. A day later, they retracted their decision.
"You told us we made a mistake. And, you weren't shy about it. You wrote, you called and you took to social media to express your thoughts and feelings. You flat out told us we were wrong. We listened.
"Today, we are putting all our Duck Dynasty products back in our stores. And, we apologize for offending you."
The family's merchandise empire from their hit show saw sales of $400 million in 2013, according to Forbes.
