Comments on: Motrin Mom Video Mishap

By: Marc Monseau

Marc Monseau — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 16:35:13 +0000

Interesting. And I underscore what Kathy said in her post on JNJBTW — paying close attention to all this is key.

By: Don

Don — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 22:03:53 +0000

God help anyone who gets on the wrong side of web 2.0! The hysteria knows no bounds and the truth is seldom revealed.

By: Amber

Amber — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 17:11:34 +0000

I’m with a lot of others, Motrin has gotten far more exposure from this than they would otherwise. Like they say – no publicity is bad publicity.

I’m not on Twitter, but I’m a member of a local babywearing group. So, yes, we’re totally out there. Even here in the suburbs you see moms everywhere with Baby Bjorns and Snugglis. And the concern that moms I know voiced was that if it hurts to wear your baby you’re doing it wrong. But is it a big deal that Motrin doesn’t understand that? I don’t think so. I can’t imagine anyone would look to them for parenting advice.

By: Will

Will — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 06:26:27 +0000

My thoughts? The ad stunk. It was not offensive. Just didn’t influence me in any way (and I am a dad who carried his baby all over the place in a backpack and a sling for a variety of reasons). It was a bunch of typography with no zing. Show me hassles, traffic, stress, and I get it.

So the ad stunk… but maybe, just maybe, it could be barely offensive to some… and that twitter thing is really popular… and we (thinks the ad company) could incite a Mommy Blogger revolution (actually they didn’t have a name for it but knew one would come up when this anti-campaign campaign took on a life of its own). So they launch it and then launch the anti-campaign.

Seriously. Would you have seen this at all, or heard about it, if it hadn’t gone viral? Not the ad, but the anti-campaign which could be the campaign itself? If so, then this is the greatest marketing piece since they took away the whopper.

By: Fantasy Art and Portraits

Fantasy Art and Portraits — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 23:25:08 +0000

It’s odd that I honestly can’t recall ever seeing any mother or father wear their baby in a sling or whatever.
I’ve seen the products that let someone do that.
I’ve seen someone do that *in an advertisement* (well, maybe in *one* advertisement, and then at the very, very, end).
I just can’t recall ever seeing anyone actually do it in real life, let alone doing it fashionably, and I walk and take transit a lot.
Are all these irate moms in a particular demographic or geographic location or something? I didn’t hear anything about this till this morning’s paper.

By: Jenny

Jenny — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 21:46:43 +0000

It’s not really as offensive as it is lame. It’s a lame attempt at reaching out to “Moms” and a lame attempt at humour. It’s neither clever nor funny. Considering that the vast majority of women breastfeed their babies these days did they even take into account that they wouldn’t be taking pain medication anyway? The implication that carrying your baby around is to look fashionable or to look ”official’ is ludicrous. And YES carrying your baby close to your body IS good for bonding not ‘supposedly’ so. It has nothing to do with being politically correct it has to do with knowing your audience.

By: Rob

Rob — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 20:34:15 +0000

Leaving the SMM stuff aside for a moment, the question in my mind is how much traditional research was done on this campaign? I suppose not very much. Yet, the ad world existed before social media. What about some focus groups or something? It seems like they guessed at it, and got it wrong, whether they’d heard of Twitter or not.

Besides that, I think your suggestion to bring mums into the process is the only way to go now. Give them free stuff and then ask their opinions. Find out what’s important to them and then speak to it. Maybe the way they manage the damage will ultimately give them twice the return they would have had if they’d got it right to begin with. Funny ol’ world!

By: Karilyn Kempton

Karilyn Kempton — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 20:23:53 +0000

The Buzz Canuck article was right on the mark for me. I’m glad that people are engaging in a “bigger conversation” about the [positive or negative] potential online marketing, but a never-ending stream of indignant, often-vitriolic tweets left a bad taste in my mouth.
I don’t have a baby, but if I do I’m sure I will carry it around in a pack. And you know what? It’ll probably hurt my back, and I’ll grab for a Motrin.

By: Dory Lanenter

Dory Lanenter — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 20:15:47 +0000

Bottom line for Motrin Mom – maybe some bad publicity, but phenomenal brand recognition going forward.

By: Michelle Evans

Michelle Evans — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 20:14:46 +0000

As a marketer, and a mom, I spent the weekend glued to this story. I found it absolutely fascinating. I wasn’t so much offended, but I just thought it was a bad ad. As I’ve said to others, I don’t think it was really an attempt to do social media, but more of a brand campaign gone wrong.