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Original poster

OAA Apologise for "Career Women Make Bad Mothers" Campaign

1280 replies

OAA · 06/01/2010 16:16

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.

OP posts:
morningpaper · 10/01/2010 21:32

If we had it over to a homeless statement then no one will notice and it will blow over

More FUN to make a STATEMENT

onebatmother · 10/01/2010 21:33

"Women don't buy sexism anymore" is an alternative (though obv completely untrue)

morningpaper · 10/01/2010 21:34

yeah that's too UNTRUE, depressingly

Swedington · 10/01/2010 21:34

I like Sexism is bad for business.

But I'm not sure I'd sleep well at night feeling I'd played a part in destroying someone's livelihood.

AitchTwoOhOneOh · 10/01/2010 21:35

i agree, crazycatlady. also it's just a bit...cringey. 'look at these daft mums, of course they didn't understand the campaign in the first place but they wouldn't stop NAGGING, so we just said soooooorrrrrrreeee and got them to do our work for us, and then the silly wee lassies all went off with a nice tickly feeling in their panties. all hail adman supreme Garry Lace' etc.

MrsHappy · 10/01/2010 21:35

Is it really a problem if (Beta) run an anti-sexist message and benefit from doing so?

I guess it depends: is the aim here to right the wrong or to spank (Beta)? If the former then we should suggest something anti-sexist which addresses the wrong done in the first place.

onebatmother · 10/01/2010 21:35

shit I've missed wallender

Sydney - Campaign feature is brill idea. Ultimately the more industry people remember this story, the less likely a repeat.

onebatmother · 10/01/2010 21:38

I understand your wavering Swedington - but being pragmatic, the man concerned will be retiring v soon. He has made a looot of money (highest paid ad exec ever at one point I believe.) Greater good and all that.

Crazycatlady · 10/01/2010 21:40

Yes I think it is a problem MrsH, because it says indirectly that it was OK for them to run a sexist campaign in the first place. Not OK in our eyes of course (or many others), but in the eyes of the advertising industry, which is the very thing we want to change.

If the ad industry sees that Beta were able to turn this around, with MN's help, then it says loud and clear that running a sexist campaign not only works but actively engages a whole new audience. If we walk away, with a dignified suggestion for them to do something socially valuable with the space, e,g, charity, then they cannot claim the same success.

If Beta cannot then claim this campaign as a success, they won't be able to use it as a shining example to PR themselves across the industry and to their potential clients, and perhaps, other agencies may take note of what's happened and think differently about how they operate in the future.

Crazycatlady · 10/01/2010 21:41

I doubt he will be retiring soon onebat. This new agency, set up last year, was a big comeback for him and he's a very hungry new business merchant...

Ingles2 · 10/01/2010 21:41

that's the problem MrsHappy. It would be nice to right the wrong but without beta profiting from it.

wahwah · 10/01/2010 21:41

My last thoughts: This company fucked up. We told them. They got stupid and shirty. Saw error of their ways (for whatever reason). Offered to make reparation.

I say let them. I have no desire to beat them down. They still need to work and pay bills. If something good can come of all this, them that's brilliant.

In any case, every other ad. company will have mumsnet in the back of their minds when they're writing copy, for the next three minutes, at least-so there has been some influence.

I still plug Women's Aid / Refuge, but also now wonder if we should be thinking about other women in the world who don't even have the luxury of being offended by advertising, as they worry about clean water, food and their children living past the age of 5...

Initio · 10/01/2010 21:42

Completely agree with Crazycatlady on this.

Swedington · 10/01/2010 21:42

I would like it to blow over, MP.

That's why I like the homeless thing. It's like an already popped balloon. And totally unsexy. But very worthy. And removes us from any accusation of red-mist or collaboration - both are pretty dire potentially.

LeninGrad · 10/01/2010 21:42

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

onebatmother · 10/01/2010 21:43

I'm now of the mind that they will be claiming it as success whatever we do, crazycatlady.

But if the slogan at the top of all of their industry press stories says 'sexism is bad for business', then the world will know better, no?

morningpaper · 10/01/2010 21:43

Swedes: His last reported salary was £800k

(according to the trade rags)

Ingles2 · 10/01/2010 21:45

I agree Onebat.... I believe GL is a master of Spin..
What are Mrs B's thought this eve?

Crazycatlady · 10/01/2010 21:46

The ad industry, partic their trade press, will challenge them on it being a success if they didn't manage to engage with MN. The mileage in parading this campaign about as a success is seriously limited without our endorsement, however casual.

SydneyScarborough · 10/01/2010 21:47

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

Crazycatlady · 10/01/2010 21:47

Off to bed. If there is a consensus in the morning that we'd like to contact Campaign, I'm happy to go via my contact.

morningpaper · 10/01/2010 21:47

They have been engaging with us all weekend

They will say they read "every one of the thousand posts that Mumsnetters wrote discussion the campaign, and as a result, came up with..." WE LOVE GIRLS AND THEIR BANGERS

or something

SydneyScarborough · 10/01/2010 21:50

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

Swedington · 10/01/2010 21:51

Mumsnetters get their panties in a twist.

I think we should go with that. Be ironic.

onebatmother · 10/01/2010 21:53

If we don't engage, their reputation-management Gerroo will advise this:

"We put our hands-up. We listened hard to what was said on the thread. And we used what we heard to come up with a new, user-generated slogan that addressed their concerns:

drumroll, pulls off silken coverlet

"Please, do remember to feed the birds in winter - it's quite hard for them to find food in the snow"

or somesuch.

They will spin it as engagement, I think: our only chance is with the slogan.

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