Since the Motrin ad campaign broke this weekend (h/t Jessica Gottlieb with more excellent recaps at at Pistachio and Twitter Maven) I’ve been bombarded with emails (okay, two) asking me what I thought of it. You know, because I’m in advertising and we all know each other.
Wait, actually that’s true. We do.
Which is kind of making me a little nervous because the creative team might in fact be people I know and respect and would have to get drunk one night and then slap them upside the head and ask them what the hell they were thinking.
It’s worth watching to get the full effect, but here’s the transcript:
Wearing your baby seems to be in fashion. I mean, in theory it’s a great idea. There’s the front baby carrier, sling, schwing, wrap, pouch. And who knows what else they’ve come up with. Wear your baby on your side, your front, go hands free. Supposedly [insert air quotes here] it’s a real bonding experience. They say that babies carried close to the body tend to cry less than others. But what about me? Do moms that wear their babies cry more than those who don’t? I sure do! These things put a ton of strain on your back, your neck, your shoulders. Did I mention your back? I mean, I’ll put up with the pain because it’s a good kind of pain; it’s for my kid. Plus, it totally makes me look like an official mom. And so if I look tired and crazy, people will understand why.
I’m going to go out on a limb here and say that Motrin missed the boat. I mean, they close the ad with the tag line, Motrin. We feel your pain.
Huh?
Why that line makes no sense at all! That line almost sounds like it was written for a campaign that demonstrates some level of empathy with parents.
The script is just calling for a line that “closes the circle” and completes the story.
Motrin. Because you can’t have an epidural every day of the week.Motrin. Your body just ain’t what it used to be. Sucks for you.
Motrin. It’s like totally what, like, all the official moms are taking.
Motrin. For parents who long for the days that they only got body aches from dancing all night and doing coke.
Motrin. Quit yer whining, woman.
Sigh.
Snide remarks aside–I’ll leave that to the thousands of moms on twitter who are going nuts right now if you search #motrinmoms–I’m actually feeling Motrin’s own pain right now. They have an awesome brand, a tried-and-true product, and a very smart idea at its core: Motrin works on the pain that only mothers understand.
What the campaign is missing is the love.
And that’s not something that can be captured in a single throwaway line about being willing to endure pain for your kid.
It’s not easy to do snarky well when you’re talking about parenting. Popular blogs like Motherhood Uncensored, Finslippy, Baby on Bored, White Trash Mom, Laid off Dad, and Metrodad to name a few, are not popular simply because they illuminate the ups and downs of parenting with brutal, hilarious honesty, but because they do it through the eyes of parents who truly, deeply love their children. It’s the rare writer who can capture the negatives without bitterness, who can elaborate on the hell without sounding, well, like a 34 year-old male copywriter who’s never had a kid. Whether or not that’s actually the case.
There are some good freaking writers on parenting blogs. They connect with thousands of parents every day. And none of them are making nearly what creatives in ad agencies are making.
Maybe that should change.
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Update: I just received an official statement by email from Kathy Widmer, McNeil’s VP of Marketing
I am the Vice President of Marketing for McNeil Consumer Healthcare. I have responsibility for the Motrin Brand, and am responding to concerns about recent advertising on our website. I am, myself, a mom of 3 daughters.We certainly did not mean to offend moms through our advertising. Instead, we had intended to demonstrate genuine sympathy and appreciation for all that parents do for their babies. We believe deeply that moms know best and we sincerely apologize for disappointing you. Please know that we take your feedback seriously and will take swift action with regard to this ad. We are in process of removing it from our website. It will take longer, unfortunately, for it to be removed from magazine print as it is currently on newstands and in distribution.
Nicely done.
And now I think it’s time for the twittering to callllm down just a bit, for everyone to stop calling for the company’s head on a platter, and allow them to make amends. After all, we do like our ibuprofen, right?
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One more update, via a friend at the ad agency: The copywriter is no longer with the agency.
She’s on maternity leave.
Wow.
79 shards of brilliance… read them below or add one
Hal, I love you to death, but I really don’t like the old moral equivalency argument. It’s okay to hate an ad and to <>also<> be upset about the state of the world. Jozet above put it way better than I could. That said, I do think people need to chill. And go to Tanzania. Starting with me.
I’m not playing the moral equivalency arguement. Just saying that this is really not a controversy in the larger sense of things and there are many other ways to spend our indignant energies. Are we all so insecure that a stupid ad threatens our sense of parenting?OK… so maybe it is moral equivalency… but I’m right
We-elll…Imagine if it was an ad about how single moms are all getting in vitro just to be trendy. You know, since celebrities do it and all. I think that attachment parenting moms look at this as an attack on their values, not their choices. I’m not going to take a side on that (although lord knows I’m no Sears fan) but I think it’s important for a marketer to know the audience and what the hot button issues are to them. And I still want to go to Tanzania.
YAY the moms of America spoke up & they listened-it feels good to have a quick response!
I can’t get behind the hating on Motrin here. First, because I popped at least three in the past 24 hours.Second, although I have at least one foot in the babywearing, extended breastfeeding camp (recently graduated!), these things DO sometimes hurt. The way the ad is written implies that they are DESIGNED to hurt, so the folks who should take offense are the sling makers (lawsuit Bjorn v. Motrin?). But c’mon, it’s an exaggeration.If one is totally engaged in the online community, I can see how they would believe that this ad has offended too many people and must go, but I’m betting it was tested with moms and they thought it was fine. MOST moms are not twittering, blogging, or wearing a really comfortable sling. I would guess that Motrin has not turned the world against them.I’m feeling bad for the VP of Marketing. I don’t think her mistake was so idiotic as everyone is claiming.
Pharma cares so much that babies get the best sort of care being brought up… they would never imply babies are a nuisance. Never.
Wow, this is the best description I’ve read of this whole event. You are exactly right – they missed the love. And I appreciate the call to calm down a bit. As much as I love to jump on a feminist bandwagon – I just didn’t see what the major deal was. For me, it certainly wasn’t offensive enough to ban the brand.
wow. you guys rock! now use your power to convince brooke shields that those “have a baby for german engineering” ads MUST stop.
Bjorns and Snuglis hurt like hell and are bad for the baby.Proper baby carriers DO NOT! If they are hurting, is because you are doing something wrong.I wear my heavy 1yo for hours in a wrap with no pain whatsoever.Stupid and misinformed add! And yes, I agree with the comment that attachment parenting moms felt that their VALUES were attacked, not only their choices.This the brioo-ha-ha.
“There are some good freaking writers on parenting blogs. They connect with thousands of parents every day. And none of them are making nearly what creatives in ad agencies are making. Maybe that should change.” I could not say it better so I quoted that perfect statement. It’s also the freedom of all bloggers to voice any kind of corporate feedback – in any way an individual blogger chooses to voice their support, concern, or frustration – that keeps the blogging universe an amazing venue for open, and ideally uncensored communication, for all audiences, corporate or private. Idealistic I know, but I will hold onto that thread forever and a day. Thank you Liz, for wrapping up the dead horse that really was beginning to stink. BTW, where do I get me an invisible plane?
kinda reminds me of the “have a happy period” adds…….
I’m glad I missed this until it was over.
First of all, I was never upset at the ad. I just thought it was dumb. It was a misfire and I felt sorry for Motrin and the ad agency that is sure to be fired. But, hey, everyone’s talking their brand, so maybe not.
all i could think was “this didn’t die in focus groups?” knowing all the layers, it’s amazing this got as far as it did. but the ironic ending to the story (maternity leave!) made me snarf my happy hour cocktail.
I love you. So do my boobs. I nearly just “let down” from that post.
I like your ad slogans. I see why you are so good at your job.
Hey Liz-It’s Anne Nodar (now Stesney) from the old Donny D days. Great blog. Your stepmom told me about it but I didn’t realize I knew you! You’ve taken a very sane and empathetic approach to this Motrin thing. Kudos! If I wrote about it, I wouldn’t have been so fair. (I have maaaaaajor Dr. Sears issues.)Anyway, congrats on such a fun, mom site!-Anne
The maternity leave ending to your story made me wonder if this is her first baby. Because becoming a mom is never what you expect it to be so *maybe* that was what she thought before the baby came? Poor rookie.
ok it’s official. People are whiney little weenies and will complain and get offended over every little thing. I have a Toddlerhawk and it’s fabulous. But the fact remains, added weight is going to make you ache eventually. Get over it already, people.
I’m allergic to Motrin, ibprofen and the whole NSAI class of drugs. Super bummer.I have a great idea for an ad-Kids screaming, drawing on the walls, the phone’s ringing, the dog is barking, some one’s at the door. Then you see Mom in the bathroom pops something in her mouth, takes a drink of water. Blows the hair out of her face and smiles refreshed. Knocking on the bathroom door, “mom. Mom! MOM!!” Mom opens the door with a smile on her face.Tag line voice over “Have a Zoloft day” (or insert your fav. SSRI)Now that’d be an ad I’d like to see.
I’m not on twitter, but with regard to the complaints and online protests, I don’t think it was overreacting at all. It’s true there are sexist ads all over the place, but the mommy ones upset me even more, and I’m glad someone started at attack on this. Maybe if I could sling my baby (which I can do quite comfortably, thanks very much, and he’s a beast) in public without 100 morons asking if it kills my back (no, that’s the purpose of the fabric- support) and maybe if there weren’t seemingly a backlash against any parenting attitude or tool that isn’t 100% mainstream, then MAYBE I could see this as merely annoying. But I viewed it as very condescending toward any mom who chooses to use this centuries-old, parenting tool. To me it was just fuel for the prejudicial fire against how I parent.
I gotta say. Since when did the Mommyblogger become the take-everything-way-too-serious blogger? I loved Kristen’s video because she was having a laugh but HOLY JEEBS, people! There are some REALLY fucked up things going on in this country and around the world. To spend this much time and energy on a poor-taste commercial says little about the state of advertising and more about us as moms in response. What’s frustrating to me is that truly we have a voice as a community and in this case we seem to be using it for the wrong reasons.
Also Amen to what Mrs. Q said.
Having only learned of this yesterday – it is interesting to read all the reactions . . . now that things have calmed down a bit and no – I won’t dare click the twitter link, I don’t want my pc to implode!Glad they made amends, it was the right thing to do.
Dream topic to blog, from your starting point to WOW!
Great post. And yes – it would suck to be Motrin’s agency right now. But there is a much more salacious scandal brewing in the New York ad world right now. Google “BBDO video scandal”. You can’t make this stuff up.
I can’t believe I haven’t commented on this post but I have to go on the record because you made me pee my pants. From laughing. I can’t believe you mentioned WTM! Thank you for considering me worthy, even if I don’t have bladder control when I read your posts. You rock, as always. Happy Turkey Day!
In the eighties they had a televison commercial with a young mother saying, “I was surprised when the hospital gave me Tylenol after my C-section.” I would always say back to the lady on television, “My reaction would have been outrage!”
Andrea, why? You would have preferred something stronger? I’d be like MORPHINE, NOW.