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.

here MadameD.

glass of wine, you say?

ta laydeez

Woo hoo!

god yes, and look at the time. Night-o.

Good morning.

Having followed your discussion and suggestions over the weekend and taking into account Mrs Baldwin's letter, we've decided to do the following.

1. Do an 'anti sexist' poster as some of you have suggested.

2. Give £1000 to a charity. We'll choose one from the charities you have listed.

3. Both OAA and (Beta) will continue to give resource and time to the charities they have existing relationships with.

Thanks for you time over the week end.

Once again apologies for the offence caused last week.

Best.

(Beta.)

Thank you, (Beta).

Will it be generally anti-sexist, or specifically about sexism not working as a marketing strategy? The distinction, you'll agree, is an important one.

Thanks Beta. Which slogan are you going with?

Oh what a surprise. Good luck with that . Be clear that you are doing this without endorsement or approval from the mumsnet community.

Agree, CrazyCat. Beta be clear you are doing this without endorsement of the Mumsnet community.

'we've decided to do the following.' okay, so make sure you don't sell that to the trade mags as 'we turned the dafty ladies around'.

could you tell us why new posters are going up with the 'career women make bad mothers' line on it?

so another example of Mumsnet bullying people with different opinions from them

We presented as close to a consensus opinion as possible fern. Those who disagree are still freely expressing their views. Being such an important issue we debated it ad infinitum, and there were lots of strongly held views, but I don't think there was any bullying.

both the OAA and (Beta) have been amply clear that they don't hold the opinion that 'career women make bad mothers', ferncottage, don't worry.

Thanks Beta. Have just seen this, having switched thread halfway down this one to look at MrsB's letter, so posted response there before seeing this.

Coming into this veeery late.

Can I just state an irony? OAA is also the abbreviation for 'Obstetric Anaesthetists' Association'...I read the thread title and after an initial 'What the...' marvelled at the power of mumsnet and the Outdoor Advertising Agency.

Power to the mums I say!

ferncottage - I was a bit surprised to see your post. Can you point out where, on this or any other of the threads, where there has been any bullying?

As far as I am aware, the last few days have been spent in debate about the issues and best forward action.

Please link to any examples of bullying.

Oh s/he just means that if a few women get uppity and actually manage to get a result from their uppitiness, that's bullying.

Because people ought to have a right to express sexism. Unlike racism or anti-semitism. Women ought to just lie down like doormats and let people wipe shit on them and any deviation from that behaviour, constitutes bullying.

Pah.