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.

This bus ad 'hangs' without context and although we might like to believe the whole world is watching our response, it's not. It's a v few mumsnetters and a few ad men reading Media Week.

I think we should stop being so petty and small minded and do something for the homeless; can you imagine Shelter turning down an opportunity like this because an advert insulted homeless people once.

"IMAGINE BEING HOMELESS IN THIS WEATHER"

and ask Shelter if they'd like to add their branding?

Using the space to say nothing at all is really yeuch . And it must just as well say "Women have nothing to say"

Have you seen the comment that someone posted ' The we want it all bridgage at it again '

must might

Very good article. And I'm liking the fact that

a) he's obviously done his research/read the threads

b) Justine was able to give more of a reaction to the story

If we are going ahead with our collaboration, my view is

a) no MN branding.

b) "Sexist ads are a waste of space"

"Attention seeking ads are puerile" is fundamentally wrong, as - in order to work - advertising does have to create impact, i.e. attract attention. If we go with that we risk looking very naive.

My vote is still no collaboration or involvement of any kind. Like many have said, there is nothing to be gained from this.

And if Beta can't come up with a worthwhile idea of what to do with the space after all the ideas we've given them here (Particularly the idea of offering the space to a charity for free...) then I'll be disappointed.

I know that if we sup with the devil, we should all go equipped with long spoons, but this really is an opportunity to articulate something worthwhile.

The condition about being associated with Britain thinks has to be thought through carefully. So far, all we've seen is evidence that it doesn't. And my view is that it would be damaging to the MN brand to be associated with the OAA, Britainthinks or Beta.

But still, let's just use the opportunity, why not?

That is a good article. But have you seen some of the comments? Ugh.

Yes, good article, grim comments.

I am very taken with Swedes' idea of taking up the offer on behalf of a deserving charity like Shelter. "IMAGINE BEING HOMELESS IN THIS WEATHER" would be good I think. Would something like this be possible?

Don't do it. Whatever the slogan, once it's been through the (beta) process ? whatever that is, but I'm sure there will be one ? it will end up not hitting quite the right note and this time I'll be cringing on the way to work (which I admit is slightly better than fuming).

Donate the space to a charity and let them put their own slogan on it.

BTW, i've been trying to make a list of other British institutions who use punctuation marks in their logo, and I've got as far as Hear'Say

This bus ad 'hangs' without context - Swedington you are quite right.

To run a successful (or even an unsuccessful) ad campaign takes quite a bit of time, thought and planning (they tell me). As far as I know it involves a lot of sitting about brainstorming, wearing trendy spectacles. And then making a decision about the right 'channels' to use ie 'should we do this on digital signboards, on TV, via product placement' etc. Angry career women in advertising have contributed to this thread - they will all know much more about this sort of thing than me.

In this scenario there are some empty (digital)) billboards (your own silly fault, gentlemen) on offer, to be filled by Monday. And actually they're not empty - the ones at Victoria tube station in London are simply running the other BritainThinks slogans (about football etc) in a loop, I note.

(There is no (logistical) way (and I think Garry and co said this already actually) to get posters which would need to be printed and pasted up, on traditional billboards by next Friday.)

If angry career mothers or Mumsnet were to advertise offline, where would they prefer to do so, and in what timeframe?

I went to bed last night convinced by the arguments against collaborating with them.

But I'm coming round to the charity argument. Imagine being homeless in this weather indeed.

There used to be a naff brand called Le'Pel

While we're on pop groups, D:Ream.

Donate to a charity BTW - I also like that idea.

There possibly is a charity out there with a poster campaign ready to go. If this is so, doubtless the various adland people reading this thread will alert them.

If you are reading, charity ad designers, do post here.

Now if they were smart they would have gone with 'benefit scroungers make the country poorer?' - simultaneously upsetting both families on benefits, liberal thinkers, and the Daily Mail reading population (mostly).

I think Mumsnetters are strong and clever enough to sort their own campaigns and get a story out there, without having to collaborate with BETA and have anything further more to do with them.

I still agree with last nights comment, that we walk away and let this become last week's story.

I should have said, the reason I like the 'donate to a charity' idea is that it shows that even in their fury 'angry career mothers' think bigger than just themselves.

Bluesky - for me personally, I stick by what I said last night re no further collaboration, as you are also saying.

But if there is a charity with a campaign ready to go who wants Garry's space (and is prepared to work quickly with Beta in this particular format) ... well, you saw what I posted above...

I'd be in favour of either doing the imagine being homeless slogan (or donating the space to Shelter, maybe they've got a slogan they'd prefer) because it's absolutely aposite for now.

Failing that, a women's charity which helps women and children to recover from some of the worst effects of societal sexism - such as Women's Aid, Gingerbread, Rape Crisis etc.

Not punctuation marks, but the two most annoying logos ever are 5ive (the pop group) and Se7en (the film).

I have found it hard to decide on the advert issue but increasingly feel it is indeed best to walk away. We should refuse graciously though (just to be big about it, y'know), and pass on the suggestions made here re donating the space to a charity. If Beta go ahead with that idea, good outcome all round and either way, line neatly drawn.

Mrsbaldwin - agree. And I'm v glad you think it's a good idea; it is your campaign after all.

IMAGINE BEING HOMELESS IN THIS WEATHER

Who is going to contact Shelter?

T'Pau

Yes and Shelter may well have a poster design/slogan ready to go that they prefer.

I think it would be a good outcome for all concerned. It feels right and not cut nose off to spite face-ish or petty in any way.

I vote for shelter