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.

Thank you for your apology (Beta). I would be concerned about your shock at the reaction your campaogn drew though - perhaps you and your staff need some training organised to guide you through some of the social changes that have taken place since 1950 so you have a better understanding of the likely reaction to any similarly lame ads in future.

I read the Australian mag link and was amused by the last comment - "It's offline trolling"

I think that summed it up really, v. aposite.

Garry and Robert, thank you for your gracious and full apology. Apology accepted (but don't do it again sweeties, as we will be watching you).

I agree with many of the postings - and much has been said about personal insult and hurt. Less about the potential for further ramifications in RL.

Does the 'creative' who penned the statement have any concept of how hard it is to maintain a career when you have children? When you are conscientious at work, a team player, but treat your children's needs as most important?

If the OAA and advertising company had thought this one through they'd have realised that there are a lot more issues lurking under the surface for working mothers. Especially those who are still trying to work hard at a career, utilising flexible working arrangements, whilst putting family first.

It's not just how I feel seeing that slogan, it's also about how work colleagues who also see the slogan might feel about the working mums on their team. That slogan has the potential to sow the seed of, or fertilize, a nasty weed. Because isn't that what advertising is about - planting thoughts, to sell products or grab attention?

This isn't a trivial issue. Is an apology enough? I suppose what damage there will be is done.

And finally, so why didn't Garry write the same slogan, but with reference to his own gender?

I agree Silver

It's just SO depressing to think that a group of supposedly intelligent people sat down and thought that such casual sexism was a perfectly acceptable campaign slogan.

I've not actually seen the ad but it sounds totally outrageous, well done to MrsB and everyone else who protested.

Dear Garry and Robert

You know this thing that you're trying to encourage people to visit with your ads, the internet or whatever it's called? You might have noticed that people use it as a way to express their opinions and that it's pretty free-flowing, and sometimes that means they get a bit het-up and maybe even say things that you might class as "abusive".

Perhaps you should have had a look before you took on the brief.

Also, when people want to comment on things online, they tend to go to a website they know and use regularly, not one that you (presumably expensively) conjured up out of thin air for the self-serving purposes of you and your client.

Just a couple of tips for the future.

Oh, apology accepted btw.

Were they really asking for peoples personal details?

Indeed they were - not sure what they wanted to do with them - but a list was produced of people they would like to contact. Sssssssstrange how their attitude 'changed' in a day

Might the OAA allow us to submit a suitable slogan to replace the removed slogan?

Can you believe we still have Page 3 girls in 2010?

Swed are you gonna start a petition on here against page three girls aimed at the Sun paper?

Dear mumsnet community.

As suggested in some of the posts in this thread, we?ve been back to our clients at the OAA and asked if they?re are prepared to let the mumsnet community create a poster.

They are. The poster would be on a topic of the mumsnet community?s choice.

The posters would go up on digital sites on Monday. So if your community is interested, you would have to work quickly.

The conditions are that the poster is branded/cobranded Britainthinks ? the OAA are also prepared to create a mums? channel on Britainthinks if you wish ? and that it conforms with the various rules and regulations of poster advertising.

(Beta) will give you all the help we can to make this happen.

Are you on for it? And if so, how would you like to proceed?

Best.

(Beta)

Do we get a fee for it?

Really? Fuck me.

Don't think that would make such a good slogan Wilf.

No. As I said, I could never work in advertising.

Some bloody good haikus on that other thread though.

Oops I think I was just a little bit sick in my mouth.

Oh, FGS, please don't cooperate with this. Leave them alone. Don't help them to change their screw-up into some free publicity. MN isn't a publicity machine.

but britainthinks is a bogus advertising hoarding, isn't it?

agree with the worm. nice try, though, garry, but we'd be looking for about £1.25m before we'd consider it.

agree with snowworm,

walk away