OAA Apologise for "Career Women Make Bad Mothers" Campaign

[OAA]

The OAA are running a campaign to demonstrate the power of outdoor advertising to drive people online. This is being done in conjunction with a new website called ?Britainthinks.com? which encourages debate amongst the people of Britain.

We regret any misunderstanding that led to feelings of offence on the part of members of the Mumsnet community.

The intention of the website is to generate debate by posing questions that are deemed to be socially relevant by members of society.

We did not intend to cause any offence and we would stress that the questions posed were not the opinions of the OAA or any of its members.

Three posters were designed to initiate the debate using sport, life and politics and these are supported by dozens of other questions on the website itself.

Regrettably the question relating to ?career women? has caused offence and the OAA unreservedly apologises to anyone who has been offended. This was not our intention and, to ensure that this misunderstanding does not persist, instructions have been given to remove this poster.

Subject to the vagaries of the weather, all copy will be removed as soon as possible. The sites currently carrying this poster will be either blanked-out or carry one of the other designs. The poster will also be removed from the ?Britainthinks.com? website. All Digital posters have already been removed.

ok, just as an amusement,

how about

Don't mess with Mumsnet

Yeah but grimma, the genius thing about your slogan is it is the only one that solves everyone's problem: if MNHQ support it, they've shown willing (in exactly the same compliant nature as MNHQ's apology ), if we support it, it is ours...

...And if (beta)/OAA actually put it up, I will eat my hat and cheer from the rooftops.

And it still fits the brief (controversial, engaging debate blah blah blah).

Go on, Garry. Self-deprecating, self-referential, viral irony is sexy in advertising, no?

Lenin - yr not up to date with the 'oohgle' concept then - the useless things I've today learnt thanks to these threads!!

P.S I am so with Mrsb,CrazyC et al.....
P.p.s Wouldn't want to be in Justine's shoes though!!

while I love Grimmas offering, I actually would be appalled to see it on billboards...I do not want my ds seeing the word motherf**king legitimised in any way.

Hmm, I am very torn.

On the one hand, I can see that it would be a good thing to have an anti-sexist ad out there and extra publicity for MNHQ is from a business pov always good.

I can also understand MrsB and Wilfs objections.

I have to admit its not a term I'd ever use IRL even with asterisks.

Thats the problem with being a mother.

Career Women make Bad Mother-offending Admen Apologise ?

Can't believe how much this has moved on since I read it yesterday evening...

To add to the 'voting', I agree with mrsb, crazycatlady etc. Leave Beta to clear up their own mess. MN gets damaged by 'co-operating' at this stage. They can put up feminist slogans themselves if they want to, but I fear the offer is all about damage limitation. Plus, while publicity is good from a business pov for MN, not at any price, surely?

The 'deadline' is also a pretty obvious tactic to get MN to rush into something. Please, MNHQ, politely decline this offer and leave them to it.

mind you, I think its a bit too late....he did whisper to me the other day that he had seen naughty words on an Mumnset thread I had left open...

bad mother.

Ah see now it's lost its edge. Swearing offends me MUCH less than idiotic sexism, and I think though motherfucker is in itself sexist, it has lost some of its salience over time (like bugger and sod etc)

Gizza job, Garry. Oh no, s'OK, I've got one.

Actually I'm pretty fickle on the fence, meself. Swings. Roundabouts. Though am increasingly persuaded that a quiet dignified withdrawal of engagement with (Beta) is the best thing now.

EightiesChick - how did you manage to not look for a whole 24 hours? Do you have a life or something ?

but mn already 'encourages debate amogst the people of britain'

and asking for personal details of us posters isn't exactly going to rush to their site, is it?

i think this needs a thread of it own to discuss it properly with an appropriate title rather than being burried in here, possibly with a stickie too.

"Lace said he hasn't ruled out renewing his attempts to claim compensation if Beta feels further damaging remarks are made via the Mumsnet community and no action is taken to remove them."

From Media Week, reported 8 hours ago

Yup. Utterly cynical. Ignore and move on.

Not sure there's much more to be said though Katz. The prevailing view seems to be that we don't want to engage with them, apologies have been made etc... like Wilfsell's 'quiet dignified withdrawal'...

And the thing is, surely MNHQ are getting some massively important profile with People Who Do Advertising, because this seems to be all over the trade blogs (and presumably print media eventually)? With considerable reputational clout being demonstrated. So, in business terms, MNHQ will probably benefit? Or is that a misreading of how it all works.

And MN has been linked to all over the blogosphere and twitter during this furore so in terms of profile I'd say MN is doing brilliantly. Let's not let Beta ruin it by collaborating with them.

I had lunch t'other day with a friend (waves at S) and I was telling another (male) friend about MN, he'd never heard of it. Said friend said, oh, "MN, very powerful" in a don't mess with them kind of way...

Don't think she's an Mnetter, but thought that was rather pleasing....media very up on MN and its loveliness.

oohgle for Lenin

hate motherfucking, i mean wtf, where does that come from entymologically-speaking?

i'm with mrsbaldwin et al, please let's not waltz blindly into their damage limitation strategy. if they want to put up an ad saying 'sexism hurts society' they CAN, it's got nothing to do with us.