Should Mumsnet be going to Baby Show ? We need your views

[carriemumsnet]

Hi all

Reposting this here from the Baby Show volunteers thread to make sure we get widest response....

Basically we've had a great response to our appeal for help running a stall at the Baby Show. But now something has come up and, as usual, we want you to contribute to our decision. We've had an email from a mumsnetter saying that Clarion, the Baby Show organisers, also organise arms fairs and questioning whether, in that case, Mumsnet should be associated with them.

I don't think any of us are pro arms, but you could argue that Clarion aren't manufacturing or selling arms, they're just the organisers of a fair.

If we attend the Baby Show we have the chance to introduce Mumsnet (a good thing we hope you'll agree ) to several thousand mums-to-be who will then find out, for example, why lots of Mumsnetters boycott Nestle as well as the truth about fruit shoots and Greggs sausage rolls.

Or we pull out now. It's another one of those 'where do you draw the line?' discussions and we're torn. What do you think?

MNHQ

[MinkyBorage]

what policy wonk said. NO

[FAQ]

I started reading this thread thinking yes you should go - but having read through it I think you should pull out and do as others have suggested above.

[MegBusset]

I say no, of course arms fairs sell some very very nasty equipment (cluster bombs, anyone?) to some very very nasty regimes with no thought to anything but profit. But then it's a tough thing to ask to put morals before business sadly not many organisations will do it

[berolina]

It's a no from me

[nickytwotimes]

No, for the reasons so eloquently expressed by VS.

[ahundredtimes]

I wish I knew why MN wanted to go, because then it would help to decide.

I've thought about it, and my vote is no to the baby show and YES PLEASE to me manning a MN stall with Swedes at the Petrochemical Fair 2008. I thenk you.

[bows]

[Flamebat]

I say yes, but for the same reason as MRM

I can always balance the ethics a bit and promote some cloth nappies whilst I'm there if ya want

[lulumama]

pull out and get the publicity about why you are not going

MN is not run of the mill or a site that goes with the herd.

we have cojones !

or summat

anyway, i agree with what all the other clever people said about why you should not go

[fryalot]

I am in two several minds about this:

one the one hand... if you boycott every major company that has dealings that we don't agree with, we won't be buying anything

but... we know that they deal in arms and that's a very very bad thing

but... reaching all those mums to be can't possibly be a bad thing, some of them may need our help (cue theme tune to The A Team)

but... if there is a way to let them know we're here without going, then that is surely the bestest of all solutions.

so... don't go, but sell the story of why you're not going to the NOTW or Take a Break.

[InvisiblePsychomum]

I say yes, for the same reasons as flame and MRM

plus, we can reach out to more people by being there and hoping to get them joining up, and then we can educate them on MN.

[Twiglett]

god you're going to bring more proles to the site?

I can't stand it

Mothercare was bad enough




I do have a view on this tbh .. I'm not sure MN is going to benefit that greatly from a trade show unless it's the trade you're wooing for sponsorship and product placement and basic money .. in which case go ahead .. but going to drum up posters ain't the right objective if you ask me

[Flamebat]

NOTW ?

Lulu - Read that 3 times to work out what Cay Jones (in my reading voice) were...

[IAteDavinaForDinner]

I agree that it would be best to pull out - the publicity you could achieve if you were smart about it (which I have no doubts you will be) would be excellent and would pique the interest of both sponsors/advertisers and new users. It's an excellent publicity slant - to be seen taking an ethical stance these days is going to attract interest, especially since you can push the idea that your thousands of users (that's us ) asked you not to go.

Anyway, it's just like NetMums in a shed, innit? Pfffffrt, I'd rather stay here and argue about parking spaces.

[VictorianSqualor]

lol, Squonk.

[themildmannneredjanitor]

pull out and do press release about WHY.
going would be dodgy for several reasons.

1. connections with arms dealers
   
2. would attract too many huns.

[Peachy]

'Plus no disabled facilities? At a babyfair?'

thats pretty shocking!

There seems to be far more reasons to not go than go imo

[TotalChaos]

Agree with Threadie and Riven.

[Twiglett]

My other comments would be

to do a trade show properly you need a great eye-catching Point of Sale piece .. you can't just whack a couple of laptops down and have a bit of signage really

to have people representing your brand is farkin' dangerous if you ask me .. yes I'm sure all the volunteers are lovely and wonderful but they are individuals and the point of MN is the melting pot .. you're putting all your eggs in an unknown basket. And making the personality of the site the personality of those mners who are happy to attend and do it .. Danger Will Robinson, Danger!

oh and the fact that we don't want any more proles (did I mention that one)

[whooosh]

So how many PFTM's will be interested ind a "chat " site.

All everyone eants at a babyshoe (IMHO) os freebies and shopping-generally PFB nonsens (she says with experience).

I personally fell the allocated funds could be better spent/targetted at online users.....

[fanjolina]

Don't go.

And tbh, I'm not sure how many expectant mums would be tempted by MN at a show like that - they will all be gushing over huge 3-wheel pushchairs, cot bumpers and matching babygrows and booties.

[onebatmother]

1. whole point of baby show is to sell, sell, sell anxious first-parents things that they don't need and can't afford - thus commercialization of infancy/childhood.

1. Arms fairs very, very different from Armed Forces. Proven, time and time again, to go over The Line - thus ethical insupportable. Solution: what Threadie said.

1. TACKY. Tackytackytackytackytackytacky! For god's sakes women, if torture doesn't stop you in your tracks, surely the vulgarity quotient will?

[lulumama]

sorry flame ! !

[Bewilderbeast]

to put my two penn'oth worth in I don't think you should go. For reasons already eloquently expressed by others on this thread

[onebatmother]

I would pay a lot to see Swedes selling propane and propane accessories at the petrochemicals fair. She'd have to leave the cheroots at home, for starters. And don't they still man the stalls topless there?

[whomovedmychocolate]

Don't go. If I have to boycott Mumsnet I'll have to talk to my DH and divorce is fucking expensive!