add on:I am mostly frustrated by such negativity on both sides. I think we are smart moms so let show them what we know- and how awesome we are at marketing! If anyone can solve a problem we can!
I was wisely told to voice my opinion so i did. I am done complaining here are some solutions! My email to Motrin 500 words or less!
I understand this e-mail might get lost in the shuffle. Although offended by your ad I am not here to complain but offer solutions.
Yes babywearing hurts some, a lot believe it not to be a fad and want to offer positive awareness. Why not have an expert show proper babywearing techniques.
Yes sick kids drive my crazy instead of using that to sell products why not have a momexpert or DR. on staff to answer questions? Or possibly a forum for mom to discuss sypmtoms or to get frustrations out.
I understand your intention was to show you understand our pain, but we understand it! What a lot of moms need is support!
So if you haven’t heard the buzz, Motrin put out a questionable ad campaign. And it is all a buzz on Twitter, with very upset moms. So what is my take?
At first i was mad at Motrin. Then I was ultimately mad at my fellow mom. Why? Because we were so rushed to slap Motrin on the hand we ultimately slapped our fellow mom in the face.
First, I did not wear my babies. As I mentioned on twitter a shifted pelvic bone kept me from wearing. It did hurt me, but all over I saw, “If it hurts to wear your baby you aren’t doing it right!” What? How about understanding that in fact moms struggle everyday to do the right thing, wearing and in all aspects. Hearing they are not doing it right might defeat them. Do you think that a mom wants to hear she is not doing something right? Doesn’t it defeat your message? Does that make you better then Motrin?
Yes my kids drive me crazy. Sick kids drive me crazy. Two weeks ago ended my clean-up of two weeks of constant diarehha and vomit. I had a foot in the nut house and the other hanging out for dear life! Was there truth in Motrins ad? Sure. Was it in good taste for them to use it? No of course not.
Instead of slapping Motrin in the hand and saying “Bad company, we ain’t crazy” Lets open up the dialect. Ultimatly I felt that dialect close on Twitter. I felt alone in my craziness over sick kids. Another black-handed slap.
Ultimatly Motrin brought out the worst in us. Sure I am a crazy, non-wearing in pain mommy but you ain’t gonna sell me pain reliever reminding me I suck!
So instead of punishing Motrin let’s as moms band together and open up the dialect. Offer Motrin another option. Maybe suggest they demonsrtate proper baby-wearing tecniques. Maybe suggest they offer tips to moms who are going crazy with sick kids. Maybe instead of threwing stones we can throw Motrin a line and show them how we want to be treated!
9 responses so far ↓
Adventures In Babywearing // November 16, 2008 at 1:38 pm |
I do think we should definitely take this opportunity to turn this around to something positive!
Steph
mamasnest // November 16, 2008 at 1:43 pm |
I see where you are coming from and can definitely agree that we need to come together. What I think you did not see is that we HAVE come together. Those of us (and please, know I know that I can only speak for me) who haven’t experienced what the Motrin ad suggests, said so.
I’ve worn my son and several nanny charges for YEARS without pain, I don’t cry because I wear him, I don’t have that frustrated/crazy mom feeling. I haven’t been there. So I said so.
If you HAVE been there, if you CAN relate then I applaud and encourage you to do as you’ve done and speak about it. Speak up, share your perspective, we’ll all be better for it.
Do I agree that our outrage/twitter discourse was a “back-handed slap”? No way. When you’re in the minority you might have to shout a little louder to be heard but if you WANT to be heard, keep talking, people will listen
I believe in the mass of emails, blog posts and tweets the door IS open for discussion. When they chose to publish such an ad (unresearched, untruths, condescending) they set themselves up for exactly what happened and I personally think that the responses (those I’ve seen) have been tasteful and relatively tame.
We can all learn from one another even if we haven’t been in each others shoes.
susanlindgren // November 16, 2008 at 2:27 pm |
Maybe i am not looking in the right place. For some reason all the negative talk about Motrin on Twitter leaves me with the same bad feeling I get from watching the video in the first place.
I applaud anyone who wears their baby, I wish i could. But telling people they are doing something wrong and not lending a helpful hand is not right either.
And on a side note using this negative campaign to promote yourself isn’t right either. Maybe I am guilty of this too by standing opposite the crowd but I felt my opinion need to be heard.
Jenn // November 16, 2008 at 3:37 pm |
Nicely put!
TheAngelForever // November 16, 2008 at 3:48 pm |
I wrote a Motrin post because it upset me about them calling babywearing a fashion statement. I like you did not wear my kids. No matter how I tried I could not find anything that was comfortable for baby and I to use. No pain medicine out there could have helped me. Sure, I looked at tons of websites/blogs about babywearing to help, but sadly they did not. Still my beef with Motrin is their lack of research and way they handled this campaign. I think it would be wonderful if Motrin reached out and Mommies around that are babywearers help them to fix their ad to show people how to do this. Talk about good PR.
I have to also say I am skeptical about Motrin’s motives for the campaign. I think they knew exactly what they were doing releasing this right with International Babywearing week. Hello free publicity?!?!
Kim // November 16, 2008 at 4:04 pm |
You bring up some very good points. However, I still think that Motrins ad was in very bad taste. I am sorry that you had troubles with babywearing, that really is frustrating, I am sure. Then to hear people telling you that if it hurts you’re doing it wrong — well, the majority of the time, that is true. That is why we keep saying it. Those with medical issues – that is a completely different story.
Thank you for your post though. I really enjoyed it and appreciate a different perspective on this hot topic.
susanlindgren // November 16, 2008 at 5:00 pm |
Thank you Kim- i too stated I felt the commercial was offensive. Telling Motrin they’re doing something wrong then turning around and telling a mom she’s wrong and not offering solution to either is what I think is wrong.
Katja Presnal // November 16, 2008 at 7:53 pm |
I think this is probably the best outcome of the whole thing – the open discussion, like seen here.
Mom on the Run // November 17, 2008 at 1:13 am |
I jumped on this Motrin bandwagon late, so never saw the commercial before it was taken down. I, too, was never a babywearer. Like every other mom I purchased a Snugli. To me it seemed a necessary article of baby equipment. I never tried it on before I had my daughter. I never thought about whether it was one size fits all.
Once my daughter was born, I realized that “I” did not fit the Snugli. I was a size 14 on top prior to the birth of my daughter. After her birth I was very top heavy. I “could” wear the Snugli, but it was uncomfortable for me. My daughter was 7 pounds at birth. I had a hard time getting the Snugli on–it felt like a straitjacket. I gave up after a couple of weeks.
Do I feel guilty that I did not wear my daughter around the house or neighborhood? No. Do I feel less bonded to her? No.
As with any decision you make for your child you have to be O.K. with it. Babywearing did not work for me. My daughter at 12 is a lovely, mature, bright girl. I am glad that it works for other people.