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Feminism: Sex and gender discussions

Posie Parker statement: Not Overheard At Waitrose

178 replies

SwearyG · 19/10/2018 21:27

At 2.30 this afternoon the incredible Hannah Clarke and Julia Long headed over to Waitrose, Cromwell Road, London to photograph my billboards. A lovely twin set either side of Waitrose, a perfect placement if ever there was one! But no photographs emerged. I called Media Agency Group to find out where my billboards were. One of their staff told me the billboards had gone up and then been taken down by the landlord so they could look into the campaign. A treacherous campaign it is too, the definition of woman is practically an invitation to warfare. I'm sure the landlord scrutinises all adverts, just like Primesight and Exterion.

So I called the building management. They told me to call Waitrose as this was nothing to do with them, they insisted it was not their decision. I've called Waitrose press office and they told me it wasn't them, and Hannah and Julia asked the branch and they said it wasn't them!! My conclusion is that it's most likely to be Waitrose as the building management company implied it was.

At no point has anyone from Waitrose or MAG called me to tell me the billboards have been removed, and as they're digital someone must have had at least a conversation before interfering with the software.

I remain determined to continue to place in the public sphere that woman is an adult human female, until every woman understands what is at stake.

OP posts:
cheesytatty · 20/10/2018 13:50

I might not be remembering this correctly, but I'm sure that Mermaids were one of the green token choices at my nearest branch of Waitrose a few months ago. I thought that this was odd at the time as they would not be classed as a 'local' community group. Perhaps Waitrose have the equivalent of the MN TRA intern beavering away behind the scenes.

PomBearsAtWaitrose · 20/10/2018 14:06

I sent them an email two hours ago and just had a phone call about it. Has anyone else?

pennydrew · 20/10/2018 14:07

PomBearsAtWaitrose

What did they say?

PomBearsAtWaitrose · 20/10/2018 14:08

The woman seemed to think it was some sort of digital error maybe, but that Waitrose definitely had nothing to do with the removal.

PomBearsAtWaitrose · 20/10/2018 14:10

I asked her to email me something in response and she's just now sent this

Dear PomBears

Thanks for taking the time to speak with me earlier this afternoon, it was a pleasure to talk to you.

To confirm, the billboard is not owned or the responsibility of Waitrose and we've not asked for it to be removed.

If you have any further questions, please do let me know.

Kind regards
waitrose person's name
Case Manager, Executive Office

PomBearsAtWaitrose · 20/10/2018 14:12

[email protected] is the CEO email if you want to hear back quickly

Popchyk · 20/10/2018 14:19

Yay to Waitrose.

So the landlord's objection (that Waitrose wanted it removed) is not true.

So now that has been cleared up, the board must go back up.

Must have been a misunderstanding. Wink

PomBearsAtWaitrose · 20/10/2018 14:27

I've just sent this.

Dear Waitrose
Thank you for your email and for Waitrose's very quick response to my query. Can you confirm if Waitrose will be looking into why the building management company has said that this was a Waitrose decision, please? I have posted your response to the Mumsnet thread where this has been discussed.

Best Wishes,
PomBear

PeakTrans · 20/10/2018 14:29

Sarahjconnor it was on a thread on a feminism. Will try to find it for you 

Ilovemykid · 20/10/2018 14:29

Absolutely call out the landlord and make them put it back up immediately. Meanwhile, I won’t boycott Waitrose.

PomBearsAtWaitrose · 20/10/2018 14:38

I'd be quite sad to lose Waitrose as it's walking distance to me but so is Lidl and they do better pastry....

Femaledisrespectful · 20/10/2018 14:40

Well, I'm pleased it wasn't them. Who's the landlord then?

PomBearsAtWaitrose · 20/10/2018 14:45

Personally, I think as their name has been used (fairly or unfairly) by the building company it is for Waitrose to sort out and state unequivocally that this was not their decision.

PomBearsAtWaitrose · 20/10/2018 14:45

And get in touch with the building company I mean.

zzzzz · 20/10/2018 14:53

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Ineedacupofteadesperately · 20/10/2018 15:15

Once we're absolutely sure Waitrose had no part in this (which it sounds like), and the board is back up I plan to celebrate by doing a nice big Waitrose order and adding stuff to my Xmas order too Smile

QuickWash · 20/10/2018 15:17

I need educating - what's the Ocado issue? And what happened with Lothian buses?!

PurdysChocolate · 20/10/2018 15:29

I switched to Waitrose after leaving Ocado; I literally just opened my new Waitrose loyalty card. I want to know if I need to be switching again, I wont shop with Waitrose if they also dispute that woman is an adult human female.

Ilovemykid · 20/10/2018 15:55

Please confirm when WR openly admits that it wasn’t them who caved to the 3%!

Beesandfrogsandfleas · 20/10/2018 16:02

quickwash, short version is that Ocado tweeted in support of the decision to remove the very first poster. Space was purchased to run the same ad on the side of a number of Lothian Buses in Edinburgh. The plug was pulled on this too - extra annoying because when the bus carried large ads for Irvine Welsh's "Porno", they wouldnt remove those despite complaints.

Gncq · 20/10/2018 16:06

I need educating - what's the Ocado issue? And what happened with Lothian buses?!
Grin yeah, it's quite a saga.

Posies "Adult Human Female" poster in Liverpool was taken down after complaints by AWA (anti woman activists) that is was "hate speech".
Ocado tweeted that it approved greatly of the decision to take it down.
Cut to loads of women calling Ocado to close their account with them and switching to Waitrose.

Lothian buses also removed the "Adult Human Female" poster from the side of their bus but a day or two later put up a Stonewall poster on their buses.

There's a vote now of keep up Posies poster in Leeds leeds-live.co.uk/news

I'm not holding my breath for this Waitrose one tbh but if they see the poll for the Leeds poster maybe whoever it is could be persuaded.

Gncq · 20/10/2018 16:07

Oh I type slowly bees !

Beesandfrogsandfleas · 20/10/2018 16:18
Grin
MamaJune · 20/10/2018 17:08

Bravo to Waitrose for taking the time to respond and put things (hopefully) straight with regard to who is to blame.
I worked for them for 3 years and they were an excellent employer and I've never been taught to much about loving customers and customer service than with them - they genuinely do care about their customers so good to see they care about women.

rememberatime · 20/10/2018 17:16

My daughter works there and loves it. I feel like they would avoid this type of overt side-taking. They are very aware of their customer base.