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MNHQ

Should Mumsnet be going to Baby Show ? We need your views

207 replies

carriemumsnet · 02/10/2008 14:22

Hi all

Reposting this here from the Baby Show volunteers thread to make sure we get widest response....

Basically we've had a great response to our appeal for help running a stall at the Baby Show. But now something has come up and, as usual, we want you to contribute to our decision. We've had an email from a mumsnetter saying that Clarion, the Baby Show organisers, also organise arms fairs and questioning whether, in that case, Mumsnet should be associated with them.

I don't think any of us are pro arms, but you could argue that Clarion aren't manufacturing or selling arms, they're just the organisers of a fair.

If we attend the Baby Show we have the chance to introduce Mumsnet (a good thing we hope you'll agree ) to several thousand mums-to-be who will then find out, for example, why lots of Mumsnetters boycott Nestle as well as the truth about fruit shoots and Greggs sausage rolls.

Or we pull out now. It's another one of those 'where do you draw the line?' discussions and we're torn. What do you think?

MNHQ

OP posts:
2sugars · 06/10/2008 05:55

Bloody hell. I used to work for Reed Elsevier. Under the guise of Heinemann Educational Books

spookycharlotte121 · 06/10/2008 05:10

I havnt read the whole thread but I think you should go. Mumsnet has been a life line to me and has helped me out so many times when I have needed a sympathetic ear of someone to make me smile when times were tough. The whole point of going to the fair is to as you say make thousands of women aware that MN exists. Could be a life saver to many of them in the near future. I think you have to think of the pro's against the cons. Yes they (clarion or whatever theyre called) might be benefitting from something terrible, but by attending this fair it might also help many mums in need of a support network. Perhaps you could email them with your concerns and see what their responce is?

Cadelaide · 05/10/2008 22:58

I go to Clarion shows for my business. Wouldn't have a business any more if I didn't.

I didn't know about the arms thing, but I shall continue to visit Clarion shows.

theSuburbanDryad · 05/10/2008 22:57

Dh (the PR guru) says to email Clarion back, and ask them if any companies which sell guns or bombs are represented at these trade fairs, and if they can't give you a yes or no answer then they're talking shit.

theSuburbanDryad · 05/10/2008 22:54

Email Mark Thomas, and ask him.

I'd say don't go.

umberella · 05/10/2008 22:37

i went to this when it came to glasgow last year -then got lots and lots of holiday scam phonecalls as a result of filling out two 'competition' forms.

the whole experience was rather depressing tbh, although i DID buy two very tasteful rattles...

it was all a bit 'cattle market' for me.

i like to think of MN as something slightly more 'maverick' than this -i actually can't imagine you there.

MARGOsBeenPlayingWithMyNooNoo · 05/10/2008 22:31

Don't keep yourself up all night worrying about it Justine.

Most of us here are gun-runners, drinkers of Fruit-shoots and wait outside Greggs until they open to ensure they get a freshly baked sausage roll .

MNHQ
JustineMumsnet · 05/10/2008 22:24

Thanks for all the many responses so far - they've been very helpful.

Just to answer a few questions that have come up more than once:

Why do we want to go? - mainly to spread the word to potential users rather than advertisers.

Are babyshow goers the type of people we want on MN? - well yes, as they are mostly prospective and new mums and mums are squarely in our target market (we try not to distinguish too much between tasteful mums/ pushchair obsessed mums etc as it strikes us as that would be a bit of a generalisation. And in any case folks discover pretty quickly if MN's a place they're comfortable with or not.

How essential is it for us to be there? - Not particularly essential but one of our aims is to reach as many mums as we can and there are quite a few of them at the Babyshow so we think so it's an obvious place to market the site.

How are we paying/ would the money be better spent elsewhere? - we would offer reciprocal advertising so in fact no or little cash would need to be handed over.

Couldn't we get some press and therefore attract an equal number users from a boycott? - possibly (though quite unlikely I'd say) (Though we love the pass it on idea 3kids1cat )

Having said all that we'd like to think we will come to a decision on whether to attend this event based on a reasoned moral, rather than just a pragmatic, perspective.

We are keen to be consistent and I suppose one reservation we have about this is where do you draw the line? It's nigh on impossible to be completely moral and to pay all the bills - and there's an argument which goes along the lines of all advertising is essentially misleading/overly commercial/ultimately wasteful so we shouldn't really have any at all but tbh I don't think there's an alternative way of generating the cash we need to run the site.

We hope this gives a bit more flesh to our dilemma. Please do post your thoughts if you haven't already - we'll be taking a decision in the next few days.

Many thanks!

Jux · 05/10/2008 21:57

So why are we childish precious and stupid? Please explain.

vonsudenfed · 05/10/2008 19:37

Jux - agreed, would love to know the decision.

3kids1cat · 05/10/2008 13:30

I'd say don't go, for all the well informed, intellegent, mature reasons posted above.

Have been to the Birmingham Baby show, was totally commercial, and can't say that any of the stalls there left me wanting to look them up.

Why don't we all agree to do a Jamie Oliver style 'pass it on' thing instead, where we all tell 3 mums about MN, who then tell another 3 etc etc.

solidgoldskullonastick · 05/10/2008 13:02

I think MN should go. I think people squealing for a boycott tare being childish, precious and stupid.

Jux · 05/10/2008 12:58

When are they going to make the decision - does anyone know? I'm not at all comfortable with this and am waiting with bated breath.

Swedes · 03/10/2008 21:50

Arms Race - Qualifying Heats would be better.

moondog · 03/10/2008 21:41

an 'arms fair'
What a sickening juxtaposition of words

onebatmother · 03/10/2008 21:36

ba-boom.

Swedes · 03/10/2008 21:17

MNHQ - Why don't you get Mark Thatcher in for one of your Live Webchats? It would be a real coup.

Swedes · 03/10/2008 21:13
combustiblelemon · 03/10/2008 18:53

A fair number do

Ewe · 03/10/2008 18:40

I don't think any of the big venues have disabled changing facilities, do many places? I agree that it's not right but I would imagine it is a widespread problem and not baby show/earls court/olympia specific.

I still think it's silly to not exhibit because they also own defence event if MN otherwise wanted to exhibit, which they did.

bundle · 03/10/2008 17:45

when does the decision have to be taken by?

Threadworrm · 03/10/2008 17:39
Swedes · 03/10/2008 17:33
Bubbaluv · 03/10/2008 16:16

Did you get you gun at an arms show Swedes?

Swedes · 03/10/2008 15:34
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