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.

I vote for Shelter too, or back away completely. Anything else just paints us in a bad light.

Although I do confess to rather liking the "Feminists make the best fathers" slogan, simply because of the disconnect that makes you stop and think.

Yes, I agree. Very good idea, Swedes.

totally convinced by the charity idea, that's great. someone should start a thread asking if any of us work for charities and can give the nod to something like this by first thing monday morning.

giving it to shelter allows us to walk away from this whole mess and achieve a bit of good at the same time.

it's a win for (beta) as well, they look a lot less tosser-ish if they go along with this, as does the OAA.

Shelter are just a campainging group aren't they? A direct action group would be preferable

(I might be wrong)

plus shelter makes good sense of the digital boards, given that they are so often in train stations etc, make people put their hands in their pockets and give a quid or so to the next homeless person they see.

Maybe that nice (and refreshingly factual and fair) Times journalist would put a call out for the Shelter people on Timesonline?

Ah that's good to hear SGM

Shelter website has contact details for their media team - someone could contact them

Shelter's Media Team - someone could call and have a word?

shelter

Don't know what you mean MP? Am I being dense?

Thought they mainly campaigned - which is fine - but they also offer a phoneline and email service

anyway it is a good idea I think

There must be a snappy way of saying "this space is more noticeable than that homeless person in the doorway over there" which is true to the original intent of the ad but also making an important point.

As soon as you start mentioning the weather, we'll have a heatwave.

Dittany - I understand your desire to get an anti sexist message across. But I fear an ill conceived ad will widen the view that feminism and anti sexism concerns bearded women with bad attitudes and bad shoes. I'm afraid most people don't think feminism is about them.

Maybe being altruistic and drawing a line under This matter makes our stand against sexist advertising look stronger; and feminism that little bit more accessible, reasonable and relevant.

I think the point of handing over to a charity, rather than going with the anti-sexist slogan, is that it sorts out the objections of most of those who don't want to collaborate with Beta, but it also doesn't waste an opportunity to do something good with the space.

I also think that the sexism debate will be had just as well, with the publicity about the story and the subsequent publicity about the charity follow up. (Because I don't have much faith that the media are capable of having a debate about sexism which is in any way worthwhile anyway tbh.)

i just think we don't want to collaborate with them, tbh, so passing the space onto shelter is a great move.

shelter have a legal service, mp, they helped me and dh in the past, very committed.

x-post with bea.

i'm surprised that they haven't been in touch, funnily enough. i'd have thought that they might have been interested enough to post.

I fear we are all going to go and play in the snow. Having v nearly agreed.

Dittany - are you v against Shelter thing?

I'd like to hear from Snoworm too. I don't sleep well when Im of differing opinion to Snoworm it makes me think I must have missed something.

We could give the space Fawcett or women's aid?

I know what you mean about Shelter beign ENORMOUS whereas a charity that wuold have no chance of having ad space would be better perhaps

Agree with Aitch.