Extremely offensive baby products on Amazon by brand Fonfella

[smithereen]

I came across this product on Amazon whilst looking for baby clothes: www.amazon.co.uk/WANTED-BLOWJOB-BABYGROW-Months-SLEEVE/dp/B00D90UJ4U/ref=sr_1_cc_1?s=aps&ie=UTF8&qid=1374869417&sr=1-1-catcorr&keywords=baby+grow+all+daddy+wanted
I'm obviously concerned that this has slipped through the net at Amazon and sure its hard for them to monitor everything, but this is beyond the pale. More importantly though, I'm totally shocked that British company Fonfella could come up with this product in the first place. I've raised a complaint with Amazon, but some moral support would be great! Feel free to follow up with Fonfella too:
Fonfella Limited, Po Box 444, Sutton, SM1 9LJ - UK
Tel: + 44 (0) 207 9934387 (Lines open from 10am - 5pm Mon ? Fri)
Email: [email protected]

Oh that's truly horrible.
I'll join you in complaining.

Thanks, I saw your product review on Amazon and have done the same. I'll keep updating this thread, hopefully other people will join in with the complaints to Fonfella. Does anyone have other examples of products on the market that you think are along the same lines?

That really is awful .

Eurgh... Seriously would anyone buy these?

How disgusting :(

It seems these products are extremely popular according to Fonfella! I spoke to them this morning and asked them to clarify their position for the benefit of this post on Mumsnet. Here's the response from Director Natalie Robertson:

"Elle has passed your details on to me in regards to your phone call this morning about our ?Daddy Blow Job? baby grow.

I am terribly sorry that you feel this way about our range baby grows. Whilst I can understand where you are coming from, these baby grows are one of our best sellers. They are meant to be humorous and I am sure most people would see the funny side. They are not meant to be offensive and I am sorry that you find it so.

I myself have an 18 month old and whilst I personally would not dress him in one of these baby grows, every parent is entitled to dress their child in whatever they choose. We are not forcing you to buy one nor are we asking you to make your child wear it.

I personally think it is disgusting when parents dress their children as ladybugs or bumblebees or pierce small baby?s ears but that is just my opinion. I would not do it to my child but who am I to say how other parents should raise their kids or what they should dress them in? Each to their own.

Whilst your opinion is appreciated, we will not be removing these baby grows from sale.

Please do not hesitate to contact me should you wish to discuss the issue further."

This slogan has been around for a few years, I'm afraid. So I suspect that it does sell consistently well enough.

I don't agree with piercing a baby's ears, what on earth is wrong with bumble bees and ladybirds?

yy, vile slogan. Been around an age. 1001 shocked treads on the subject over the years. There are worse things under the sky, IMO.

That Nathalie sounds like she must be an mner she has her head screwed on right TBH.

what an idiot she sounds
apart from anything else it's "babygro" not "babygrow"
Think Fonfella need a dictionary

So it sells and it's not illegal, fair enough... just tasteless and morally bankrupt.

I think the complaints should be made directly to Amazon so they don't stock it/sell it.

I've just written this response to Fonfella:

"Thanks for outlining your position, I have posted it on the Mumsnet thread.

I'm surprised that these are selling well but I still question whether it is appropriate to be selling them in the first place. I would hope your brand is not purely driven by profit but has some kind of awareness of public opinion. The sexualisation of children for commercial purposes is insidious in our culture and something which should be taken seriously. Do you really think your product equates with a ladybird outfit?!

Whether these products are humorous is entirely subjective and I don't really think you can speak on behalf of 'most people'. I could equally say my friends who have seen this product are disgusted and we are hopefully far from middle England stereotypes. This kind of juvenile humour is for adults and seeing it on a baby grow is sickening.

Just to clarify, do you also think its acceptable for a baby to appear to be saying 'I'm with the MILF?' ie 'I'm with the mum I'd like to f*ck?! Do I really need to elaborate on why that's different to a ladybird or bumble bee outfit?

Also, I did not search for these on Amazon, they came up as a suggestion whilst I was looking for something else, so I didn't actively choose to look at your products. I just felt strongly enough that I wanted to raise the issue with Amazon and also get a broader range of opinions on Mumsnet."

How on earth are lady birds and bees offensive???

Good reply. Although someone who finds bumblebee outfits 'disgusting' will probably miss the point.

I've emailed Amazon. I'd be interested to know if they vet all the products sold under their name.

I've just had a look on their website and they have a huge range of 'humorous' babygrows (sic). By dropping the most offensive I can't see their profits being diminished that much unless of course everyone only buys the two we are talking about.

I'd be disgusted if someone wanted to dress their child as a blue bottle fly or a dung beetle, but not a bumble bee or a ladybird! That baby grow is horrific. I fail to see to whom it would be popular with and why! It isn't funny, it is degrading to the child who is forced to wear it.

How vile

I think this is censorship gone mad.

Don't get me wrong, it is horrid, no way would I buy it and I would judge those who would...

but I still think this is censorship gone mad.

I'm not asking to make it illegal, I'm just asking the question as to whether its appropriate. I suppose a parent has the right to dress their child in a BNP babygrow if they so choose, I'm not sure where the child's rights are in the equation though! I found this product particularly offensive as its overtly sexual and seems to highlight a much wider issue.
Consumers can influence brands a great deal these days, look at Primark and their padded bikini which was withdrawn - news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8619329.stm. Good to see Mumsnet active in that campaign too..

Hi

In answer to all the posts that I have read:

Firstly, I do not appreciate being called stupid or an idiot. For parents who are "offended" by 1 product in a range of 1000's, you are quick to throw around offensive comments and name calling yourselves!

Secondly, I never said that I find bumblebee outfits offensive. I said that I personally would not dress my 18 month old child in one. But if others want to, that is their prerogative.

smithereen, you have said in your email response to me that "This kind of juvenile humour is for adults". Of course it is. Do you think a 3 month old baby knows what is written on the front of their babygrow? It is intended as a laugh among parents and adults.

I cannot imagine that any parent that buys this product does so to sexualise their OWN child. I am sure that most parents who buy these humorous babygrows do so for a laugh behind closed doors.

This is one of our best selling babygrows so obviously there are a lot of parents who find the humour that this product is intended to bring.

I think you have taken what is supposed to be a joke far out of context.

Kind Regards
Natalie

Aha.
And it's babygro
No w

"I personally think it is disgusting when parents dress their children as ladybugs or bumblebees"

In what way disgusting?

It's disgusting, what kind of person would dress their baby in such a vile outfit?

I'm surprised that the seller hasn't thought their response through a little more carefully, they've shown themselves in a very bad light.