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.

DP - you are needed!!

oh, and I was not judging mums on benefits - I have been that mum too...I was just lucky enough to find a job.

OK jackstarbright....

on my way....

I think I prefer haikus ...

There was a young adman called Garry
Who thought that his billboards could carry
A slogan with a strong sexist stance
But Mumsnet thought this was pants
Supported by Justine and Carrie

Well I'm of the view that there can be no atonement for sexism. I'd prefer to accept their apology and donate the space to Shelter.

How can any reasonable person think Shelter aren't a worthy cause? Have you seen the weather?

Swedington: How do Shelter help rough sleepers? (genuine question as I'm not sure)

Sorry dittany for the x-post - wasn't trying to trivialise your post.

Why can there be no atonement for sexism, Swedes?

I think Shelter is an incredibly worthy cause, but not the focus of all this brouhaha.

shelter deffo has a rough sleepers project up here, mp, my pal used to work for them.

it's so coooooooold, dittany. have a heart.

MP there's a street homelessness section on their website that explains their excellent work. Sorry I can't paste a link as I don't know how on my new phone.

Dittany - the things you call atonement are actually correction.

Why not a rough sleepers charity that doesn't have a massive advertising budget, such as St Mungos - who are running emergency shelters to get rough sleepers off the streets during the winter

imo the reason for not doing that would be that a really well-worded ad pointing out how flaming cold it is might make people put their hands in their pockets right away and give to the next homeless man or woman they see. that's something for Beta to deal with, of course, being the ace copywriters. plus, st mungo's is a wasted ad outside london, people would rather give to a local charity (but won't get round to it).

tbh it doesn't need to be a shelter-branded ad, if that's what's making people feel uncomfortable. it could just be (beta) putting their heads together with the aim of getting humans with central heating to give enough money for a cup of tea to someone with none.

Can someone clarify, is MrsB's proposal to let Beta choose the charity?

If so, then they will go with one of the charities on this thread that most benefits their agenda.

So this thread is now about convincing Beta rather than each other about which charity to go for?

mmm not sure about giving homeless people money directly TBH

"Around 75% of those who beg do so to serve a heroin or crack addiction, and that's a conservative estimate."

when I worked for a cigarette company I used to get bags of free fags and distribute them to homeless people on my way home

like an slightly demented mother Teresa

that's their choice, surely?

MP at demented mother Threresa.

Beta will go to whichever charity they want an excuse to pitch to

Forgive the interruption. Last week the issue for you was about sexism in advertising. If our ?wrong? is to be ?righted,? surely the best way to do that is a poster that presents your point of view.

All the poster companies already give a lot of space to charity.

We (Beta) have said we?ll give £1000 to the charity of your choice. You could give that to Shelter if you wanted. We can?t afford a huge sum. We?re a small and new company. And whatever you think of us, we actually do much more than our fair share of pro bono and non profit work already.

To be honest, if you choose not to write a poster, we?ll probably do one anyway ? as some of you have suggested.

(Whatever you, or we, decide to write will then have to be agreed by the OAA and pass standard industry rules and regulations. But we?d try to sort that swiftly on Monday.)

There is no threat attached to this offer.
We're just making it because we want to make amends. Sorry, but we still can't confirm the number of digital billboards available, but its a substantial number.

We?ll drop by on this thread at 9am tomorrow to see what you want to do.

We hope you are having good week ends.

Best.

(Beta)

Do not do this.