In a new blow to broadcaster Southern Cross Austereo, at least 15 major brands pledge not to advertise on any program Kyle Sandilands hosts on the station in 2012.

Some of Australia’s biggest brand names, including Coles, Bunnings, Vodafone, McDonalds, Ford and Blackmores, indicated their boycott of the 2Day FM host would extend into next year.

The announcements counter suggestions by some industry commentators that the advertising backlash against Sandilands, sparked by his on-air attack on a female journalist, would be temporary. It also comes at the time of year when broadcasters traditionally try to lock in long-term advertising contracts for 2012.

“Our very clear position in relation to the offensive and inappropriate comments made by Kyle Sandilands remains that we are not and will not advertise on programmes hosted by him,” Coles said in a statement posted today on the Change.org website.

“[Vodafone is] committed to not advertising with on any show (TV or radio) hosted by Kyle Sandilands in 2012,” Vodafone said in its statement.

In confirming it would not advertise in 2012, Blackmores said: “We have put all our advertising with the Austereo network on hold until we have a conversation with their management about how they will handle this situation. There has been no movement on this, our situation still stands.”

Ford said: “Ford won't be advertising with the Kyle & Jackie O show or other Austereo programs with which Kyle is involved (such as the Top 40 for example) at all going forward. Our action to withdraw that advertising was permanent.”

The list of companies pledging on the Change.org website not to advertise on any Sandilands platform in 2012 includes Coles, Bunnings, Vodafone, McDonalds, Blackmores, Ford, CUA, Tourism NSW, University of NSW, NIDA, Beaurepaires, Amex, GIO, Libra and the Art Gallery of NSW.

At the same time, consumers who signed the petition on Change.org calling for the advertising ban are now turning to social media to target those companies who are silent on their plans for 2012.

Companies feeling the heat on social media include:

Myer: https://www.facebook.com/myer.mystore?sk=wall&filter=1

Telstra: https://www.facebook.com/Telstra?sk=wall&filter=12

Harvey Norman: https://www.facebook.com/HarveyNormanAU?sk=wall

More than 26,500 people have signed Emily Hehir’s petition on Change.org, with at least 60 advertisers withdrawing their support at an estimated cost to SCA of $8 million.

But some industry commentators questioned whether the boycott would be short-lived and that many of those 60 advertisers may come back on air next year when the controversy died down.

The announcements by major brands such as Coles, McDonalds and Vodafone that they will not be back in 2012 will likely increase pressure on the remaining advertisers to follow suit.

For a more complete list of advertisers and their current status:

http://news.change.org/stories/advertisers-rule-out-sandilands-for-2012

For live signature numbers:

http://www.change.org/petitions/2day-and-fox-fm-sponsors-cancel-advertising-until-kyle-sandilands-is-dumped-from-radio-vilekyle