It started when Motrin posted this ad to their Website. If you haven't seen it, please pause to watch it, because I'm interested in what you think about it.
The response from mommy bloggers and tweeters around the country? Loud and clear. HATED IT. Really, really hated it.
Since this all blew up into a media spectacle, I've seen and heard a lot of criticism and outrage, mostly from women, aimed at Motrin for the ad.
"How COULD they?" "That is just SO demeaning to women, and to mothers!" "So, if I don't wear by baby, am I not a REAL MOTHER??? Is that what they meant???? IS IT??? BECAUSE I'M A DAMN GOOD MOTHER, DAMMIT!"
No. That's not what they meant. Trust me. THIS is what they meant:
"Does wearing your baby in one of those strappy contraptions give you a backache? Try Motrin. Because we hear moms control the household budget. And we'd like to sell you some."
Obviously the ad was a little misguided, and ultimately it missed the mark. Like, by a few thousand miles. Which is why, when Motrin execs saw what a fuss the Internet was kicking up, they promptly wet their pants, apologized and took the ad right on down.
Now, allow me to step away from all the United We Stand Mommies who are disgusted with Motrin and say that I am disgusted, just a little bit, with the mommies.
Maybe I'm a little too close to this issue because I work in PR, but when I see this kind of mob behavior happening online, I call it what it is: Mob behavior. Group think. Cyber-bullying. Virtual gang rape. You get the picture.
These moms probably think of themselves as activists sticking it to the man (or in this case, the woman -- and fellow mom -- who also happens to be Motrin's VP of Marketing), but as I follow the residual tweets this week I see a lot of "Let's GET 'em" and "Whee, we're having a Motrin Moms moment!" rhetoric out there. All that's missing from these happy little lynch parties is the rope and the tree. That and the decency to look your cornered, flesh-and-blood victim in the eye before you hang them (because even when you flog a corporation, you're flogging...real people.)
And that's when I realize that no matter how sophisticated our technology gets, now matter how sophisticated WE get at using it, it doesn't matter. Because we're just humans. Really UNSOPHISTICATED humans.
Shrieking and flinging poo.
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10 comments:
I was actually on Twitter all day that day anc was a little surprised. I watched the add and did think it was misguided and insensitive. But it wasn't like Nazi's were marching and people were lynching babywearers.
Then again, I follow regularly some of the moms who started the whole thing and I can tell you there are just people out there who are activists looking for a cause.
I just think there are a lot more important things to get your panties in a bunch about then an add. Not that you can't place a well worded complaint. If I can get McDonalds to stop putting out slutty doll toys (ie. Bratz) in their Happy Meals then I will do it. But lets get a little perspective and dare I say a bit of a life.
Who knew 3 paragraphs wouldn't be enough for me. Brevity is not a strong suit.
I just want to add that I do think companies that want to jump on the viral marketing band wagon must do so fully aware that it works in both your favor and against you. So don't jump on the bandwagon if you aren't ready to deal with the bad. You can't just love using the power of the "mommy bloggers" (who are quite the vocal group) to sell your produt. You have to be prepared to hear them bitch and moan.
We are mostly SAHMs who just want to feel important to somebody. And for some that can lead to all sorts of "I am mommy, hear me roar" moments. Sad, but true.
I am mostly just annoyed at moms who are all self-righteous and proud of themselves for wearing their baby in a sling. Give me a break. They were just trying to sell some product and poke a little bit of fun at the "trend", because let's face it. Many people do it because they saw Keri Russell or some other celebrity doing it. And for the record, I am a child therapist and I know all about the benefits of baby wearing. I just also know that as a mom, guess what? You're probably going to have a backache and need Motrin at some point either way.
Interesting perspective. I appreciate you giving me the link to this post.
I can't speak for any other mom that posted on this topic but personally when I wrote about it, I wasn't trying to "stick it to the man" or have my own "happy little lynch party." And I certainly didn't feel like an activist. Hey, I did the whole People for the American Way gig in college; I understand a thing or two about activism and most of the Motrin posts I see would not fall under my definition of activism.
I think for the most part what we're seeing here with the Motrin ad is moms who want to say they disagree with the ad. That the ad insults them, angers them, or (insert emotion here).
That's not my definition of virtual gang rape. That's freedom of speech.
The fact that so many women are blogging and tweeting about this is just a sign, in my opinion, of how off the mark Motrin was - a point to which you admit. So what's wrong with women talking about it?
Ask yourself, would you be as disgusted if it were men voicing their opinions about something that upset them? For example, what about last year when AOL customer Vincent Ferrari tried to cancel his membership. Ferrari posted a recording of the insulting and annoying 21-minute call on his blog. It soon spread across the Web much like the Motrin ad. Does that disgust you? Does that make him unsophisticated?
I respectfully challenge you to look at this situation through a gender neutral lens and see if you draw the same conclusions. Maybe you will; maybe you won't. But it's interesting to think about it, isn't it?
By the way, I'm personally already over the Motrin ad thing. They apologized and took it down, let's all move on. I just wanted to respond to your comment on my blog.
I see we have a link in common (Eemia's Life)...and with you working in PR...do I know you IRL? :)
Seriously, those things do hurt your back. (Or at least they hurt my back). They hurt my back and the baby that actually liked that contraption was the smaller of the two children I've had . . . and theoretically, less weight should equal less pain . . . but I digress. I probably took Advil, or Motrin or Tylenol or Aleve at some point for some back pain.
It was a stupid ad. For sure. But let's be real, there are a LOT of stupid ads out there. Get a life on this. There are real issues to be cranked up about and they definitely deserve the energy and wrath of concerned parents (or mothers in this case). But, this -- this is not that issue.
Really interesting comments here. I agree that the Motrin moment is pretty over and it's time to move on to something else. I hesitated to even write about it. But, for me, this post was less about the Motrin ad or the moms, and more a commentary on the interesting and sometimes frightening nature of the human behavior I see on Twitter, and other platforms like it.
This Motrin story hit a nerve for me because I do some tweeting on behalf of my clients, and have myself been a victim of the lynch mob mentality that sometimes crops up on Twitter and the blogosphere as a form of activism (from both women and men...it's not really a gendered issue, though women CAN me meaner. But mostly because we're just better writers). To them, they're just talking to a company. But to me, the person behind the Twitter account, it always feels very personal.
Often this form of activism is very valid. It gives the people a voice and, when there's enough of them, it draws attention and effects change. Other tmes it's just really base and petty.
There's no right or wrong here, it's just...interesting. I have learned something by watching it, and more than ever, I am in awe of the sheer power of social media. It is a mirror of us as a human race - the very best of us and the very worst of humanity. Some days? Some days I don't so much like the reflection.
I can see all sides...not real helpful, eh? But I really take DiaperDiaperies point to heart: you can't woo the mommy bloggers one minute and scorn them the next. You let us out of Pandora's box and onto the blog/tweets, and yep, you WILL hear us roar. At your dumb ad (that didn't offend me but come on, was dumb). Or, sometimes, at each other.
This is such a great discussion we have going here.
Sorry I missed the drama of Motrin. I don't think I can possible thing to add Twitter to my additions right now. FB is bad enough!
You are right though...group think is more dangerous on the internet because people are quicker to send mean thoughts. Especially when you can't read the facial reactions of the people receiving the madness.
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