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.

And if they refuse, having offered - it looks VERY bad for them. Sooo bad, it's almost off the scale in terms of 'listening', 'engagement' and all those ick buzzwords.

Have you all seen MrsB's letter on the other thread?

Context means so much in advertising too. CAN YOU IMAGINE if "Sexism is bad for business" was on an outdoor digital display board at half-time during the latest Arsenal match? What would that achieve exactly - it would be great if Beta could confirm EXACTLY what they mean by "Digital poster site".

My instinct is to deal with this at the longest arm's length that Mumsnet can legally stomach.

Truly, this idea of 'Mumsnet' giving them a slogan is just utter fantasy, really. It is empty words. A few women chatting on a thread is all this is.

I think MrsB's approach is very good.

Have their say about what Lenin? I thought the slogan had to be done and dusted by 9 a.m. Slogan, suggestion, whatever. None of it is from Mumsnet. This is a farce the more I think of it.

Beat cheekily asked for some sort of MN input into their campaign without going through the proper £30 Media and Non-Member Request topic. Delete their offer. Let them sort out their mess. They can choose an anti-sexisn slogan by themselves if they want to.

But more people have said 'walk away' than have supported that slogan.

Anyway, night night. Bedtime for me I think.

How fabulous for a new ad agency to be able to hang their new ethos on their new conciliatory anti-sexism stance. They'll rock adland. They can make a mint.

Beta have found their niche.

Walk away.

lenin. To be fair, MP only came up with Sexism is bad for business a couple of hours ago, so not much time to sway people or otherwise.

But both are good. It's all interesting.

I'm not sure I agree that the charity offer is the same as walking away, however.

I worry, Lenin, that actually we're not in control of this. That the 'offer' made by (Beta) will be entirely on their terms.

So, therefore, if we withdraw from it, and challenge them to create something based on what has been debated here, then it is on our terms.

That's why I think we should withdraw.

All their visits/posts over the last few days indicate that they're aiming to control us/the outcome.

Onebat - I think it's really MrsB's call. She doesn't want to prodive them with an anti sexist slogan.

I like the disconnect of asking for the opportunity to be given to charity.

Asking for it to be given to charity and walking away.

I also think this thread should be deleted now.

But BIWI this will be their story:

MN gave us a heads up and told us they really care about social equality. They challenged us to listen to them, and then go away and get creative. So having really listened to the community, we came up with our exciting slogan "Bad things are wrong" - like Mumsnetters it pulls no punches. I think we've all learnt a lot from this collaboration."

Yes of course, Swedington, MrsB should def call it and has - it's academic I think now the invitation threads gone up. It will all be fine and any way it falls, considerable good will be done, instead of ill.

I'm really just debating because I think strategically it's jolly interesting.

Agree that it should be MrsB's call

where is the thread?